East To West (Second Edition)
by NarniaTolkienNerd
Summary: Middle Earth's darkest hour is fast approaching, but this time, the eastern land of Narnia is also wrapped in it's fate. Aslan deems it time, the White Council must meet with his ambassadors from Narnia, King Edmond and Queen Lucy. Question is, can they all work together to save civilization? (Rated T for violence) *Rewrite*
1. Prologue

The old centaur's withered hands shakily grasped the ancient piece of parchment. After half a lifetime of searching, he finally found it. The prophesy that had been nearly destroyed during the tyrant Queen's reign. She had been overthrown a few years ago.

Now that he was able to use every source available, and could continue his search openly, he had finally found the hidden library of Starchest the Traveler. The famous Centaur was rumored to be one of the few Narnians to frequently travel far west. And he was one of the few Centaurs to be concerned with discovering the lands beyond their borders. One summer he left to live in lands far west. He never returned to Narnia. No one knows his fate.

"Thanks be to the King, I found it," he whispered. Queen Jadis had discreetly stationed outposts on the far western edge of Narnia, where the wild lands began. Her followers spread stories and tales of horrors within the unkempt forests. He knew she hid something critical. One of the reasons he had begun his search.

Now he held a piece of writing that no other Narnian had seen in hundreds of years. A poem. A prophesy. A piece of the puzzle.

_Hear me now the stars have told_

_Fate of the future will now unfold_

_On Lands watchful peace will veil_

_Meanwhile evil shall not grow stale_

_When His roar echoes across the lands_

_From East to West a journey stands_

_In foreign lands perils lie_

_The Line of Durin stands and dies_

_When long forgotten friends form and fight_

_When darkness returns so does the light_

_Fate be changed etched in stone_

_In Western lands Aslan's face is shown_

_The king of gold the king of stone _

_To whom death's cold face is shown_

_Fate be changed and kingdoms come_

_Echoes of war ride of beats of a drum_

_When all hope for West seems lost_

_Gold and red banners fly acrost_

_Lands bear journeys long and bold _

_All to stand before Mountain of gold_

_A tribe guards the hemisphere borders_

_Sent to ride under Aslan's orders_

_The Just and the Valiant royals two_

_Sent to aid friendships made anew_

_Kings meet and things are learned_

_Ancient powers and magic returned_

_Gentle stars smile down_

_Footsteps of armies shake the ground_

_Five of the White Ones journey far_

_Two rings of power one like a star_

_Two staffs of magic one that shall break_

_The Grey one knows darkness is awake_

_Fate be changed battles will be won_

_Some deaths shall be undone_

_East and West make a stand_

_Aslan moves across the land_

Grimstorm reverently lowered the parchment onto the dusty table next to a wooden box where he found it. He picked up a leather-bound journal that was also kept inside. Dust particles flew as he let out a few puffs of air over the book. His eyes skimmed its opened contents. His breath became unsteady.

"No, this can't be," he said. No other stargazers had seen any of this in the Dance of the Stars. No other prophesy of such an event has been told. How could he see a war like this when others could not?

Starchest himself answers in his musings in his journal.

_Behold, I gaze upon stars from a different place than ever before. The positions of such celestial orbs tell a secret tale of the wider world, not simply the fate of our homeland. In the middle of the earth I see what no Narnian has seen, my eyes overwhelmed with revelations anew. Dancing across the sky are predictions of a war spanning from East to West. Evil shall make allies of Evil. Good shall join with Good. _

_Death shall breathe the same air as the living. Mothers shall morn the deaths of their sons, and sons shall weep over their father's slain body. One fortunate army ever wins a battle, but nay, none shall truly win this one. _

Grimstorm looked up, body tensing. He heard something outside the cave that had long ago been converted to a dwelling place. The centaur hastily placed his findings back in the chest and closed it, stowing it away in a hidden crevice in the stone.

More growling outside.

He could hear gruff and throaty speech but could not make out what was being said. As quietly as possible, Grimstorm started to sneak out of the cave, its large double doors rotted away maybe a century ago. He had to keep the location secret from raiders.

His hooves quietly _clopped_ against the bare stone, his hands slowly unsheathed the sword strapped to his horse trunk. He had found a tunnel leading out of the cave, but without using the front door. The tunnel was dark compared to the torchlight in the main chambers.

Light blinded him for a moment as he stepped outside in the daylight.

He blinked a few times, his pointed ears straining for noise.

Nothing.

Everything had suddenly gone silent.

It's a trap.

A misshapen humanoid barreled through the bushes in front of him. It swung its crude sword.

Grimstorm deflected the blade, slitting its throat with a swift stroke.

Another creature appeared from the greenery. Then another. Then another.

He was surrounded. Twenty against one.

Even with all his scholarly knowledge, he could not identify the species of his assailants. Their skin was grey, their teeth yellow and pointed, their weapons and armor crude, and many had deformities.

"You shouldn't be here, easterner," one of the creatures said. Its voice was throaty and coarse.

"Who are you to stop me?" The centaur replied. He spun his large sword.

They erupted in a chorus of raspy chuckles.

"Your death."

All twenty attacked at once. Grimstorm defended himself with the prowess of an experienced warrior. However, he could not anticipate the chaotic movements of the brutes surrounding him. His elderly mind was not as sharp as it used to be.

They slashed at his horse's legs, dug their fingers into his flank, swung their swords towards his chest.

He did what any sensible person would do.

He retreated.

He galloped.

His legs stung and burned, his flank and back protesting with every hoofbeat. He could almost feel the many drops of blood leaving his body.

Grimstorm only made a few strides before his shoulder exploded in pain. He staggered and dropped his longsword. An arrow stuck out from his shoulder plate. He breathed, then straightened and lunged forward to keep galloping.

Another arrow struck its target, this time his flank. His leg seized up as the muscle stopped working.

Another arrow.

Another arrow.

They were upon him, beating and slashing at him with their clubs and swords.

He was never seen again in the Kingdom of Narnia.

* * *

_/A.N./ I kept telling myself I wouldn't write a prologue. I ended up accidentally writing a prologue. Sorry. But it will tie in fairly directly to the main story. Take careful note of the poem. I tried to separate it into stanzas, but it won't let me. _

_Updates will be on Mondays. To clarify, this is a rewrite of my first big story on this website, East to West. Hope you enjoy! __Please review and tell me what you think!_

_Sincerely__,_

_N.T.N._


	2. Chapter 1

She did not need to announce her presence. She was such a stark contrast against the suffocating darkness he had been smothered in that each step she made nearly vibrated against the defiled stones. She was just in time.

Gandalf's hand was held outstretched against a slab of stone, a sort of table. One of the elven rings glinted slightly on his finger. A ring his torturer, an orc servant of the Dark Lord, wanted. All the orc had to do was to slice off his finger. That is precisely what the orc had in mind too.

One step closer.

One step closer.

The orc raised his scimitar over his head. The air shifted. He turned to see the White lady walking up the stone stairway behind them. The orc glared at her, growling at the interruption.

"I come for Mithrandir."

She had searched days for him, calling together a council when he lost contact with them. The elven lady, Galadriel, stared the creature down. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to see into his soul. Anger mingled with the blue.

"And I will leave with him."

At this the orc threw Gandalf's hand away and readied his sword in his hands. They would not leave if he had any say in it.

She looked at him, slowly stepping towards her friend's crumpled form. "If you try to stop me," her expression darkened, "I will destroy you."

The orc roared in outrage. Galadriel flicked her hand upwards, white light blasting from her like a tidal wave. The creature was incinerated on contact. She had warned him. The situation was too dire for mercy, and this dark place tickled at her temper.

She picked up Gandalf, who had fallen unconscious. Whatever those fallen beasts had done to him had weakened his barriers to the dark magic that was woven into the very stones of that place. It was an old fortress, seemingly ruined and abandoned, but that was only a farce, a cover. The same Dark Lord they had thought they defeated long ago resided right under their noses.

With the unconscious wizard in her arms, she traveled down old sets of stairs and through ruined halls. Her motherly instincts took over. She would get him out of this place.

_Three rings for elven kings under the sun…_

A voice echoed through the air. It spoke in a language Galadriel hadn't heard in thousands of years. Black Speech, the language of Mordor and the Dark Lord.

_Seven for the dwarf lords in their halls of stone…_

A shiver ran up her spine. She looked around, finding no source of the deep voice. Her mind said to run.

Run. Its him. He's alive.

Galadriel knew the words he spoke. It was an old rhyme, a prophesy. Dread settled on her shoulders. She held Gandalf a little tighter. They were in more imminent danger than she would ever have guessed.

"Nine, for mortal men," she started saying, the next line in the rhyme coming easily to her lips. As she spoke ghost-like figures started to appear around her. "…doomed to die."

Breath was knocked out of her as the nine Ring-Wraiths stepped out of their shadows. The world swam around her, dark magic given off by the now unconcealed Wraiths leeched at her essence.

No.

They had died.

The Nine had perished long ago, how could they be here?

The battle she had fought so long ago to abolish these creatures and the master they served had been in vain.

The white-clad elf staggered and nearly collapsed onto a slightly elevated stone planter with a withered tree at its center.

Gandalf groaned faintly in her arms and she spared a worried glance. The darkness was leeching away at his strength too. His wrinkled and bloodied face grew paler even as she watched. He could not last much longer in this place in his condition.

"You cannot fight the Shadow," the voice purred, "even now you fade. One light, alone in the darkness."

She looked up, her keen ears picking up familiar armor clinking ever so softly, and the tap of a staff touching the ground. Finally, help had arrived.

Galadriel looked up at the wraiths before her. "But I am not alone."

Behind her she heard a sword being drawn. Lord Elrond.

"Are you in need of assistance, my lady?" The wizard, Saruman asked, his voice containing a possible trace of humor.

Together, they made up a part of the White Council, a group of the wisest in Middle Earth. Their founding had seemed to culminate into this very discovery. The darkness had returned.

Sauron. He had to be the source of the voice, the cunning power to summon the Nine ring-wraiths from their tombs.

Lord Elrond gritted his teeth. "You should have stayed dead."

He leapt into an attack, striking his sword against the ghost's somehow tangible blade. Saruman swung his white staff, slashing through the shadow, but not destroying it.

The elven lady stayed in the middle of the desolate courtyard, holding her friend's unconscious form as immortals battled each other. Gandalf had more work to do, he mustn't die today. She bent down and left a kiss on his forehead, pressing her magic into him.

Gandalf gasped, his eyes flying open. Galadriel jumped slightly, startled, but in seconds relief replaced fright. He tried to speak, trying to force words into his mouth, but his vocal cords did not work.

Finally, he managed to speak. "He- he's here."

"Yes," she replied, "the darkness has returned."

Galadriel looked around her. Saruman swung his staff, pulses of light activating with each strike, destroying the wraith it came in contact with. They vanished, but she could sense their presence remaining. It was useless to fight them like this. Her blue eyes landed on her daughter's husband, Lord Elrond. The small amount of light in the dark sky glinted off of his golden armor, his sword strokes always graceful and deliberate.

The figures blurred in her vision. What had been an elven lord became a golden blur. Nausea nestled itself in her stomach, her limbs became as limp as locks of hair. She gasped as she fell backwards onto the stone, Gandalf tumbling off her lap. Her open eyes only saw black.

Then she could see again, her brief lapse in consciousness passing.

Her ears were overwhelmed by all of the sounds around her. Gandalf's ragged breathing. Blasts of magic emitted from Saruman's staff. An elven sword clashing with bewitched blades of ghosts. Wood creaked loudly and the pitter patter of rabbit feet as another member of their Council, the wizard Radagast, burst into the courtyard with his rabbit-pulled sled.

"Gandalf, climb on!" The short wizard shouted.

The last of the ring wraiths were destroyed, leaving Elrond and Saruman breathing heavily. Before any of them could make a move, fire erupted from one corner of the courtyard, sending an old stone arch flying in pieces. One of the large stones hit Galadriel on her hip and upper thigh, sending her back onto the ground. Radagast thought fast enough to save one of his rabbits from another stone flying towards it, pulling on the gangline attaching the rabbit's harnesses to the other rabbits, yanking it away.

On top of the flames stood the Nine. And behind them, Sauron, the Dark Lord himself. He was but a shadow of his past power, but still he stood.

Saruman quickly raised his hand to channel his magic, trying to keep the evil at bay. His other hand grasped his staff. He had to contain the dark magic long enough for the others to recover.

Elrond rushed to Galadriel's side, his sword remaining pointed towards their enemy. He used his free hand to move the stone farther away from his mother in law. She reached up and grasped his hand. He helped her into a sitting position.

Black Speech rumbled through the air, Sauron appearing in the middle of the flames, completing the image of a fiery eye. "It has begun, the West will fall."

They all had to squint to see past the flames, wind carrying the heat in dry gusts. Gandalf shakily lifted his hand up, joining Saruman in trying to contain their enemy's magic. Radagast soon followed. The white, grey, and brown clad wizards united their efforts.

"The time of the elves is over," the Dark Lord purred, "the age of the orc has come."

The Nine stepped forwards. The three wizards and two elves shifted closer to each other, the former with their hands outstretched. The Lady rose with some difficulty, wincing from the pain in her hip, and raised her hand, and channeled her power along with the wizards.

The darkness thickened the air in spite of the wizard's effort. Galadriel took a deep breath through her nose, even though it almost hurt. She knew what she needed to do, she only hoped it was enough to destroy the Dark Lord. Her attention drifted to her elven ring of power, similar to Gandalf's.

Light blasted from her open hand, reaching Sauron and his servants.

Galadriel's blonde hair and white clothes greyed in comparison to the ring's light.

_Breathe._

_Breathe._

_Do not let the longing for power consume me._

She fixed her eyes on the Dark Lord, feeling her companion's renewed efforts. "You have no power here, servant of Morgoth," she said, her voice echoing. She stepped forwards. "You are nameless. Faceless. Formless."

Sauron quivered, growling rebuttals in Black Speech. Exhaustion crept up her body, her legs wanting to give out, her arms wanting to fall to her sides. Just as she felt she might lose consciousness again a wave of warmth replaced the tremors in her muscles. Her next breath rejuvenated her. They could finish their mission.

"Go back to the Void from whence you came!" The elven lady shouted, her voice rumbling through the ancient fortress. An earsplitting roar ripped through the air. Sauron and the Nine blazed in their yellow flames and then hurled towards the horizon, an orange ball soaring towards the south-east.

Everyone stood still, feeling the ground ripple with an unfamiliar and powerful magic. Their heavy breathing was the only thing that could be heard.

Each of them could sense light being emitted from behind them, the opposite direction Sauron had just fled to.

When they turned around they beheld was truly a magnificent sight. A great lion, surrounded by the dawn's light, stepped towards them from under the stone arch where he'd been standing. His golden mane seemed to refract the light around him.

Galadriel let out a breath, taking in the aura of healing the creature gave off. Elrond stepped beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. Nearby, she sensed Saruman stiffening and gripping his staff tightly, as well as Gandalf slowly coming to stand beside them. It seemed the lack of Sauron's sickening presence had started to allow Gandalf to recover. The lion seemed to smile at them, his feline eyes held wisdom hidden in brown hues swirled together.

The lion opened his mouth and spoke in a deep and wild voice. "Now what is done is done. The Dark Lord only feigned a retreat. I do believe you sensed this. You are the guardians of Middle Earth, and so, you must keep watch and be prepared for when he will rise again. I have bought you a little more time than you would have."

For some strange reason Galadriel's mind did not dwell on the question of how an animal could speak so intelligently, if that at all. Instead, it dwelled on why he was there, and how he could command powers to help them exile their enemy.

"Who are you?" Saruman asked, frowning.

"I am Aslan. I was there when the Deep Magic was written, when your lands were created and have watched history unfold. And, though you have not known it, I have helped the light in Middle Earth overcome the darkness in times of dire need," Aslan looked deep into the White Wizard's eyes. "Now I will aid your lands again.

"You speak," Radagast piped up, drumming his fingers on his wood staff, "as though you have come from other lands or are one of the Valar."

Galadriel smiled faintly. The short wizard was practically bubbling with excitement, his odd-looking brown hat bobbing up at down as he bounced on the balls of his feet. He had a love of animals, and she did not need any special abilities to see how fascinated he was with a large talking beast.

"I created lands the West has forgotten. They are far east, called Narnia," he replied to Radagast warmly. "As for what I am, that does not matter presently, we have much more urgent matters to discuss."

The elven lady's companions turned to her with questioning looks. They had relied on her abilities to sense people's intentions and minds. She stared into Aslan, searching for the thoughts in his mind. She could not enter. He was able to shield his mind from her gaze. Her head tilted to the side. He was the first to be able to render his mind unreadable by her. Even so, nothing indicated he hid malintent. "There are no lies in him." she replied, taking her eyes off the lion and drifting to her companions. "And it was he who helped us cast out Sauron, was it not?"

"Well then," Gandalf said, leaning heavily on his staff, "what urgent matters do you speak of, my lord?"

The lion's face turned grave, the smile and twinkle in his eye vanished. "Sauron has summoned goblins, wargs, and orcs to himself. They all are marching to the Lonely Mountain. He has also called to evil and misguided creatures from Narnia, they journey here as we speak to join forces with the orc armies."

"Sauron is banished now," Saruman cut in, his head held high, "it would be somewhat difficult to command an army from as far south east as Mordor."

Gandalf huffed, irritated and stroking his grey beard. "He must have promoted Azog the Defiler to the role of commander of his armies."

"He's alive?" Radagast gasped. He remembered how organized the orcs had been last time he had encountered them. Azog was an infamous orc warrior, with pale skin littered with scars. He reportedly had been killed decades ago.

"Yes, I've seen him myself." Gandalf's eyes widened as a thought entered his mind. "Thorin and the others will never be able to hold out against such a force. Azog knows their ways too well."

He spun around, a limp in his step as he started to hobble away from the group. "I must warn them!"

"Soon Young One," Aslan said, "but first you must listen what I have to say."

The bearded wizard turned around, pointedly ignoring Galadriel's amused smile and Radagast's chuckle at the seemingly elderly man being called 'young one.' No one had ever expected that to be added to Gandalf's extensive list of names.

"Lord Aslan," Galadriel shifted focus back to the strange newcomer, "what would you have us do?"

"I am sending a King and Queen, along with a small armed force. I need you rendezvous with them, and together you can bring reinforcements to strengthen the defense of Erebor. Come, let me tell you what you must do."

* * *

_/A.N./ This is where the fun begins. It only gets better from here. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Thank you for reading!_

_CeruleanPencils: Thanks! I'm excited for your take on this version compared to the last one._

_BookWorm210: Here's the next chapter for ya! ;)_

_sebias of redwall: I'm glad you like my writing style! We will find out more of Grimstorm's fate later on, don't worry._

_Sincerely__, _

_N.T.N._


	3. Chapter 2

"My dear brother, I challenge you to a game of chess."

Queen Lucy set a chess board down onto the grass. She played with the strings of a pouch containing the chess pieces while looking up expectantly at her brother.

"My dear sister," King Edmund sighed, "I cannot play at the moment, I have to finish marking down where we've been and where we must go on this map."

He swept his hand over a map of the western borders of Narnia. Thin pins dotted the forested area.

Lucy began to place the pieces onto their squares. "You've been working without rest," she set the gold king down on the board, "one cannot lead his people if he cannot keep his eyes open to see his own road ahead."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

Lucy looked up into Edmund's eyes, hers lit with a stubborn fire. "Play one game with me, you have been working tirelessly on this mission. You need a break."

If he hadn't been so exhausted from sleepless nights and busy days, he might have mustered the same level of stubbornness that his sister exhibited. He yielded and sat in the grass opposite of Lucy. She took the silver pieces and he took the gold.

The red fabric of a Narnian tent rippled from the breeze outside, golden tassels swinging. A small collapsible table stood in one corner, the map on it. On the other side was a hammock held up by two tall wooden stakes.

Edmund made the first move, setting his knight before the front line of the pawns. Lucy tucked her hair behind her ear and moved a pawn forward two squares.

Pawn forwards one.

Pawn forward two.

Knight forward and to the right.

Pawn forward one.

Bishop diagonal three.

Pawn forward two.

Knight forward and to the right.

Pawn forward one.

Queen moves left.

Pawn defeats knight.

The battle continues.

"Checkmate."

Lucy looked up at her brother and smiled slightly. Her hands were clasped under her chin and she leaned forwards over her crossed legs. Edmund rubbed his chin as he stared at the board. "Oh," he said, "I didn't see that."

He shrugged and gave Lucy a tentative smile. "Well done, sister."

She straightened up, eyeing the pieces that had been killed in the game.

"You are cautious when setting up your strategy," she mused, "but you are not afraid to risk your powerful pieces to draw in mine. The idea is to end the conflict swiftly and with only the most necessary of losses."

Edmund picked up her queen, bouncing it in his palm a few times. "And you, my dear sister, do the opposite. You use your weakest pieces to lure in my powerful ones, then you trust your strongest pieces can take them out." He raised his eyebrow, "Smart, but if your powerful pieces are killed, you are in a very vulnerable position."

"I like to trust the higher powers can handle whatever you throw at me." she replied.

Edmund leaned back against the table he sat next to and crossed his arms. "This is about the mission."

She casually started collecting the gold and silver chess pieces, putting them back into their pouch. "Mhm."

He sighed. "What would you have me to say?"

"The truth." Lucy met his gaze. "If I ask 'how are you?' the only reply I receive is 'I am alright.'"

Edmond opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off.

"You are not alright, Edmund."

Their mutual stubbornness pushed against the other in an invisible battle of wills. He did not want to talk about what went on inside his mind. It was his burden that he did not wish to pass to his little sister. She would fret. She would see him as needing to be cared for.

He would not have that.

A breezed rustled the tent flaps, carrying fresh air to the room that seemed to be frozen as the two siblings silently sat opposite of each other. Lucy sat unwavering, the ends of her loose hair floating slightly in the draft, but she did not raise her hand to push them over her shoulder. Edmund's anxieties and pain ate away at him every day, and she would not wait any longer for him to come to her to talk.

Maybe he needed prompting.

"Tell me why you are so stressed and distraught."

His dark eyes looked everywhere but the young woman in front of him. Should he answer her question? Once a dam is broken, the water will be difficult to stop. But maybe she would be satisfied with some answer.

"I am stressed," he swallowed, hands drifting downwards to pick at the green grass, "because Peter needs me to do this for our people's safety while he and Susan govern Narnia back in Cair Paravel. Much depends on our success."

Lucy did not reply, continuing watch him intently.

He licked his lips and brushed a few locks of black hair from his eyes. "I think we have tracked down most of the followers of the White Witch, but I cannot be sure." Her title caused a thread of ice snake up his spine. "And now the birds say that there are sightings of strange creatures that come out of the Western Woods. It is all making my head spin."

The words floated in the air, held in suspense for a moment. A small barrier between the two siblings crumbled. Words between words revealed themselves.

The responsibility of stamping out the last of the tyrant queen's army not only meant greater safety for the Narnian people; but it also meant Edmund could redeem himself. Not in the eyes of his loyal subjects, but in his own eyes. His betrayal all those years ago still haunted him.

Edmund felt like he still owed the Narnians for what he had helped the White Witch do, the innocent animals she had killed because of him, and his betrayal of his siblings. If he could not stop these creatures from hurting his subjects, what good was he?

Lucy sighed. If only Peter knew what this mission was doing to Edmund, he would send them back immediately. Their oldest sibling thought it might do Edmond good to get out of Cair Paravel, to see some action and interact with the common folk of the kingdom. She could see now it has not helped, only frayed his nerves and emotions.

"Ed." Lucy stood and took the few steps needed to sit next to Edmund. "Aslan absolved you of the wrongs you once committed."

His shoulders just sank as he exhaled.

"We will work together, hmm? You aren't doing this all on your own. Stop thinking that."

"I know you're there for me, I know Peter and Susan are too. And I remember Aslan forgiving me and even dying in my place!" He sighed. "But for some reason, I still feel this weight on my shoulders. I can't let it go."

He looked sideways at her, his brown eyes containing a thunderstorm that was moments away from erupting.

Lucy put her hand on his shoulder, her thumb moved in circles around his toned muscle. "We are in a waiting period. The scouts we sent to find the strange creatures that have been reported have yet to return. Get some sleep, I can take care of the badger and hare families."

Edmund ran a hand over his face, the dark circles underneath his eyes catching Lucy's worried eye. He has not slept well.

"Are you sure? I can keep helping. No need to mother me, I am a king."

A smile formed on her lips as she stood with one final pat on his shoulder. "I have everything under control. Besides, our dear brother the High King specifically told me to make sure you did not over work yourself."

She got to the tent flap, having crossed the room as she spoke. She looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrow. "I do believe the High King's wishes overrules yours."

Lucy heard her brother mutter something about siblings conspiring against him as she walked out. The smells of woods filled her nose as she went about the tasks meant for Edmund. The camp was lively with activity. Mr. Badger, whose home had been attacked by unknown barbarians, told her every detail he could remember about his assailants. He called them creatures made from nightmares. She spent a lot of time consoling him as he mourned over the deaths of his wife and destroyed gardens and home. The family of hares were luckier, only property damage was reported.

She hoped the scouts could find and identify the criminals, what she heard from the distraught animals sent chills down her spine. All she could do was comfort them and promise safety and justice.

Edmund awoke the next morning when horns blew across the camp. A faun with messy brown hair poked his head through the tent flap. When he saw that Edmond had just awoken he bobbed his head in apologies.

"My king, our scouts have reported back and found something we believe you and the queen should see immediately."

Edmund was already reaching for his light coat. "I will be there in a moment, thank you."

He hastily pulled his boots on and exited the tent as he ran his fingers through his tussled hair. The horns and the startling summons effectively shook most of the sleep from his mind, however his body was slower in waking up. He saw his sister and fell in step beside her. She noted that the bags underneath his eyes were less noticeable than the evening before.

They approached a group of leopards, fauns, and a few centaurs who crowded around something lying in the grass. The chief leopard, who must have heard them coming, turned to the pair of royals. He stood slightly taller than the others of his kind, a nick in his ear one of his defining features.

"My king and queen, we found some strange creatures that were traveling with one of the enemy groups we have been tracking. They attacked us on sight. We had no choice but to kill one of them, after which the rest fled." The chief leopard nodded his head to the corpse. "We brought the body back for examination."

Edmund stepped forwards and examined the creature. Lucy's face twisted when the stench hit her nose. The sight before them sent shudders down both their spines. The creature had the form of a human but it looked like a mix between a hag and several other creatures Lucy had seen at the Witch's gathering when she killed Aslan. Bad memories of the night flooded her mind.

The creature had pointed teeth, a deformed nose, haggard and slightly pointed ears, and its skin was a slight green color. It was clothed in a crude leather jerkin and roughly made pants. The weapons found on its person laid in a pile next to it.

"Have the centaurs seen anything like this before?"

Edmund's voice shook Lucy out of her thoughts. No one had spoken since the leopard finished his report. She looked up towards one of the centaurs, Runemane, the appointed advisor for this mission.

"I have only seen a creature resembling this in ancient scrolls." The black-haired centaur crossed his arms. "From what I have read, they come from a far western land that has been long forgotten by contemporary Narnia. They are said to plunder and seek the destruction of others, and at one time they followed the orders of some great evil."

He stroked his short beard. "I do believe it was called an Orc."

"An orc," Edmond repeated. The name fit the creature it belonged to.

"Where did you find it?" Lucy asked the chief leopard. "How many were there?"

"It came out of the woods just southwest of here. There were about ten traveling with a group of minotaurs, wolves, and a few dwarves. They seemed to be heading west."

Lucy nodded.

"Have they attacked anyone other than your scouts?" Edmund asked. He still looked the orc over with a critical eye.

"None that have been reported, sire."

Lucy noticed the fauns looking at each other and shifting on their hooves uncomfortably. The leopards were standing politely, waiting for instructions. She decided she needed to put them at ease.

"Thank you everyone," she said, nodding to each of the groups of Narnians. She threw a sideways glance at Edmund, conveying her message.

"Ah, yes, well done," he stood up straight, "my sister and I shall meet and discuss what is to be done."

Edmond turned to Runemane and the chief leopard. "Send out another small scouting squad and sweep the area to make sure there are no more hostile groups nearby."

The animals echoed their acknowledgement of the order. Edmund turned to Lucy and nodded towards his tent. "Lets talk over there." He whispered.

Lucy followed him. Once they entered the privacy of the tent Edmund groaned and rubbed his forehead. "This is not what we needed."

He sat on his bed, Lucy imitating his action. "Don't worry, brother. What troubles me is that they are traveling with the Witch's previous allies. The groups we have been hunting all are traveling west, towards the Western Wilderness. I wonder why…"

With a heavy sigh the young man stood and walked to the low table where his map sat with wooden circles dotting its surface.

"Lets take a look at the map here," Edmund said, straightening any wrinkles in the parchment and placing a new marker on the location where the scouts reported engaging with the hostiles. Both siblings leaned over, similar brown eyes staring down.

"What is it in the Western Wilderness that they want?" Edmund murmured.

"Something makes me think they are not moving this direction to simply evade us.

Lucy ran her finger over the map's parchment, moving around the wooden circles that signified a group or sighing of enemies. "When a group becomes too large to effectively hide from us, they break off into more packs or squads. But that's not the same as scattering."

"They have proven to be more organized than we originally thought." Edmund looked up from the map to Lucy across from him. "After Jadis' death, her armies scattered, laid low, and must have formulated some plan. Three years later they started to move and reform. At first, they never attacked the Narnians they passed. Then they got bolder."

"And then our hunt for them began." Lucy finished.

"Right," Edmund drummed his fingers on the edges of the small table, "they had seemed directionless in their movements at times, making us underestimate them."

"They must have been alerting and mobilizing their allies." Lucy's eyes were wide with understanding.

_How could they have been so shortsighted?_

Edmund nodded, fingers drumming faster. "They tricked us into thinking we had backed them into the dangerous wilds, but instead we gave them a less resisted route to their destination. They knew we would not block their path because there are not many Narnians living near these parts."

Lucy stared at the wooden pieces. The strategy employed was completely unanticipated. "But who could orchestrate this if not the Witch?"

The drumming turned into a clenched fist. Edmond squeezed his eyes shut, shoulders tight as he braced himself against the table.

"I-I have no idea."

Lucy sat on Edmund's bed and put her head in her hands. It was so much to process. Why hadn't they understood this before? And why did their enemies need the orcs to join them? Was that why they headed west? No, there had to be a bigger reason. A purposed to all of this. They risked their own safety to travel so far.

A soft wind started to blow through the tent. Edmond and Lucy looked up. A warm presence they had not felt in years seeped into their weary bodies.

Lucy's face broke into a giant smile. "Aslan!" She cried,

The lion chuckled. He sat on the other side of the tent, as if he had been there watching them through the entire conversation. His wide frame made the tent feel smaller, and yet more intimate and safe.

"Hello Dear Ones."

"Aslan." Edmund breathed in relief.

Lucy crossed the space between them in three strides. She unceremoniously wrapped her arms around his shaggy neck, completely unafraid of his teeth or claws.

Edmond bowed.

"Come," Aslan beckoned, "I forgave you long ago, now only you can unshackle yourself from your past transgressions."

Edmund took a few steps forward and reached out to reverently touch the lion's golden mane. Aslan leaned towards him and pressed his large forehead into Edmund's much smaller one. Their breaths mingled, human and something divine breathed the same air.

"Now," Aslan pulled back slightly and looked Edmund in the eye, "I need you two to do some brave things for me."

Lucy stepped back from the lion's side and stood by her brother.

"These orcs you discovered serve a powerful evil in faraway lands. That same evil has called the remnants of the White Witch's army to itself."

"Why do you want us to get involved?" Edmund asked.

"Jadis' followers are still Narnians, and you must deal with your own. There are many lands beyond the Western Wilderness that Narnia has not been in contact with for over a thousand years. I am sending you to their aid to protect both lands from this evil and to reconnect ties that time has broken."

Edmund and Lucy's minds whirled with the implications of this new information. They would have to go on a long journey, wouldn't they?

Lucy's mind swirled with images of the ugly beasts leading evil creatures of Narnia towards some dark figure. Neither she nor siblings had ever given much thought about the lands to the West of their domain.

"Will you come with us?" she asked.

He shook his head, mane swaying like fields of wheat rippling in wind. "I will never abandon you, Lucy, but I cannot come on this journey." He looked at the lonely map behind the siblings. "You must cross a forest called Westerna in order to enter the far western lands called Middle Earth, where the orcs come from. The forest is inhabited, its people have been isolated for hundreds of years."

Edmund and Lucy looked at each other. Isolated natives?

"Will they help or hinder us?" Edmund asked.

"They will be skeptical of any foreigners, but you need them to help you pass into the lands beyond. Request aid in my name."

Edmund swiped his bangs from his eyes. "And what of Middle Earth and the orcs?"

"That is another matter we must discuss."

Lucy breathed out, forcing her shoulders to relax. Everything would work out. Aslan would make sure of it. No need to fret.

Except, worried thoughts squirmed into her head anyways. What of the Narnians in this region? Will they be safe? And Peter and Susan, what of them?

"Will you do this for me?" Aslan looked deep into our eyes with his piercing not-quite-feline ones.

"Yes."

Edmund and Lucy answered at the same time and without hesitation. Nervousness swam through their minds, tingled in their muscles, tickled their fears. But simply looking into the lion's eyes sent a message deep into their bones.

_Everything will be alright._

His presence and light might not erase all of the fear of the unknown, but a peace settled on our hearts. It was warm and comforting, like a cup of hot tea at just the right time in the morning.

"I shall give you instructions. It is time for you two to go on a journey. But do not doubt you will reach the end-road. You are stronger than you think." Aslan looked at Edmund. "And remember, you are not broken."

* * *

_/A.N./ Long chapter, but I hope it was satisfying. I used a real chess set to figure out the moves in Lucy and Edmund's chess game scene. I found out its quite difficult to have a staged match where I'm making specific types of moves, keeping it interesting and not just pawns for the first eight lines, and thinking for both people. I couldn't figure out/write much more than I did, but I tried!_

_BookWorm210: I hope my writing is detailed enough to be vivid but not overwhelming. Thanks!_

_sebias of redwall: Yes I did watch the extended edition! And about linking Narnia and Middle Earth, I've had a big theory for a while that I slowly will explain in this book. You can also go to the Introduction in my first version of this story to read it in narrative form._

_Thanks for reading. Hope to hear from you!_

_Sincerely__,_

_N.T.N._


	4. Chapter 3

It had only been two and a half days since the battle of Dol Goldor, since the White Council had met Aslan, but Saruman had been in turmoil the entire time. He would mutter things to himself under his breath.

"What does that lion take us for? Fools?"

The lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, and Gandalf all thought it was a brilliant idea to meet an army from a forgotten land and let them help shape the fate of Middle Earth. He could not even bring himself to acknowledge Radagast in his thoughts, having concluded long ago that the fellow had no sense to speak of.

The group had been instructed to split up. Lord Elrond and Gandalf would be sent to keep the company of Thorin Oakenshield, a group of stubborn dwarves, from starting war with the locals of a land they claimed as their birthright. Saruman, Lady Galadriel, and the wizard Radagast would travel east to meet with the Narnian army. They all would meet at the feet of the Lonely Mountain, the before mentioned dwarves' ancestral home, where the Dark Lord was planning to attack and conquer.

That evening when the small group were camped to give their horses time to sleep and rest, Saruman couldn't help but make his thoughts perfectly clear.

"My lady," he said to Galadriel, who had been unpacking bread for their meal, "can we truly trust this Aslan? I am concerned he might simply be evil in disguise, trying to lead us astray. We should not let a foreign army come into our lands."

The elven woman continued to prepare their supper, pale hands never hesitating. "If I remember correctly, it was you, my lord, who claimed that the Dark Lord could not rise again. Yet, we found that he was indeed gaining strength and organizing a coo." She stared into space for a moment. "Aslan aided us in casting out the darkness from Dol Guldur. Evil cannot cast out itself."

"And what of the army?"

She walked over to their fire, a slight limp in her step. Her incredibly long white-blond hair slipped over her shoulders and hung dangerously close to the flames. The elven woman held the locks close to herself and away from the fire. "You know the reports, how long the Dark Lord has had to himself to plan an attack. Orcs are aligning with the packs of wargs, goblins stirring in their caverns underneath the Misty Mountains, and more Orcs are coming from the south and east. Not to mention the creatures coming from Narnia."

They had been this outmatched once before, thousands of years ago. Galadriel had been there. She had fought in that last battle when the army of Sauron was defeated. It had only been a small chance that they would win. However in those times, the many peoples had alliances. Now, their descendants were scattered and held each other in animosity.

"You think we will need all the help we can get," Saruman said, stroking his whitening beard. He still did not like the idea any more than previously, but he could see the logic in her reasoning.

"Precisely," she replied.

Their other companion, Radagast, shuffled towards the fire after he had let all his rabbits out of their halters. He stood a head shorter than the towering wizard and slender elf. His brown robes were patched and, in a few places, threadbare, his grey hair tangled in many places, and his shoes mismatched. Not to mention the birds he let live in his hair underneath his domed hat.

"Oh, I wonder what these Narnians will be like," he muttered to himself as he checked his sled to make sure it was in rideable condition. The wooden thing looked quite rickety. "If their maker is a talking animal, then they must be also! To think of the wonders and secrets they hold. How interesting!"

The other two ignored his musings. If he wanted to talk to them directly, he would. The group had set up camp beside the River Running. It had been a few hard days travel from the old fortress Dol Guldur. They had passed a small human settlement and bought two horses for one of Galadriel's silver ringlets.

"Shh." Galadriel stood still and tilted her head. She closed her eyes, moving her head at different angles in the finest ways. Opening her eyes, she signed to her companions to stay put. "There is a pack of Orcs nearby."

With the grace only an elf could possess, she crouched between two nearby boulders then disappeared on the other side. She moved as if her hip and thigh did not have bruises on them. Radagast's eyes were wide, his bushy eyebrows disappearing into his equally bushy hairline. Saruman sat back on the chair sized rock he had placed a small cushion on. He lifted his thick book and began reading its text.

"Shouldn't we prepare for an attack? Perhaps at least to move camp so they never find us?" Radagast asked, already preparing his sled.

"No need," the white wizard replied as he turned a page, "obviously they are far away if an elf as skilled as the Lady must listen so intently. She will be back, and we will know our situation only then."

Minutes later, she indeed came back. Her blonde hair tumbled in waves down her shoulders and back, almost to her knees. The white gown she wore still had mud and dirt stains from their fight a few days ago. Saruman set his book down. Radagast stopped fiddling with the rabbit harnesses and shuffled over to the others. Galadriel reached their camp circle and poured herself a cup of previously boiled river water. Her hand drifted down to massage her hip.

"A pack of orcs are traveling west similarly to us. It seems there are multiple packs taking this route." She tucked a lock of hair behind her pointed ear. "The group did not consist exclusively of orcs, however."

"What do you mean?" Radagast asked.

"Strange creatures I have never seen before were among them. There were tensions between the two groups. Some orcs called them eastern mercenaries."

"Hmm," Saruman stroked his long beard, "so the Narnian creatures have joined with Sauron's servants. Interesting."

"It gives credit to what the Lion told us," Radagast said.

Galadriel nodded. "There is one more issue of concern."

"Oh, my lady?" Saruman said.

"The one I suspect to be the leader mentioned they would arrive at Erebor."

Saruman frowned deeply. "Ambush the dwarves in their own mountain? If they even reach the mountain."

"Obviously the orcs are counting on it," Radagast added.

"I did not hear part of their conversation," Galadriel continued, "But I heard the word Gundabad. The use of it alone concerns me greatly."

"Gundabad!" Radagast squeaked.

"That ancient stronghold has been abandoned for centuries," Saruman countered.

"So was Dol Guldur," Galadriel said with a pointed look towards the wizard. He had objected to even investigating Dol Guldur, and yet they had found their old enemy using it as a base. She would not be so dismissive again.

"Goblins are mobilizing in the west, along with wargs and the Dark Lord's commander Azog the Defiler. Packs of orcs from the south are moving. More packs in the east are gathering eastern mercenaries and set to attack Erebor. If Gundabad orcs attack the Mountain from the north, that would have Erebor surrounded completely." Radagast rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, scratching his bearded chin.

To Saruman's secret chagrin, the quirky wizard made perfect sense.

"Radagast," Galadriel turned to him, "send a message with our new find to Gandalf and Lord Elrond. We must prepare for war."

Radagast bobbed his head and took off his large hat to reveal a nesting pair of small thrushes. They landed on his finger and he whispered strange words to them.

War.

The word repeated itself in their minds. So it was truly war that was brewing. Then it was critical they move fast.

* * *

_/A.N./ Stay tuned for next Monday, things are just getting started!_

_CeruleanPencils: I think we both know very well what sibling teasing is like. Thought you'd comment on that. ;)_

_Elvish Kiwi's favorite sister: I don't know what your username means but I love it. Anyways, you're not pathetic, your lovely review made up for not reviewing each chapter! It made my day. :D About sibling interactions, I used experience from my own sibling interaction to try to get it right. "Helpful pain" is good description haha. I know no one would see if I'm any good at chess strategies but I'm a perfectionist._

_I have a big question: does anyone wish for a romance subplot? Nothing big or overpowering the plot, that's not my style. I'd like to hear reader opinions, so please let me know your thoughts!_

_Sincerely__,_

_N.T.N._


	5. Chapter 4

At first glance the forest gave the impression of an ancient wood, with its tall trees reaching to the evening's sky. The trees were so large they seemed to dwarf any who stood beneath. The air had increased slightly in humidity as the Narnian force moved closer to the forest.

Edmund sat cross-legged in the grass, staring up the thick trunks before him. Leaves crinkled and twigs snapped as Lucy walked over to him from the royal tent multiple strides away. She sat down gracefully beside her brother, smoothing out her dress.

"I wonder how the dwarves feel." Edmund said, not looking at his sister.

Lucy frowned. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"These trees, they make me feel small. Imagine being a dwarf and feeling so much smaller."

"You puzzled me with your initial comment," Lucy laughed, "where has your mind been to think up something like that?"

She paused. "Actually, now I do wonder how small they would feel."

"See?"

"In any case," Lucy continued, "I'm excited to meet whoever lives here. They must be quite interesting."

Edmund nodded, his fingers twisting through the grass by his knee. "Do you think they might be humans?"

They had not met another human in many years. Animals have told them of humans who had settlements in the far south of Narnia, but they have been too busy with the remnants of the Witch's army to start sending explorers to those regions.

"Honestly, I have no clue. I guess we will find out soon."

They sat in silence gazing at the darkened sky.

"There is magic here. Something ancient, but different than the feeling I get around Aslan." Lucy broke the silence.

There certainly was a presence to it. Strange how no Narnians ventured past the wildlands to this place. But they are a fairly superstitious people. However, more often than not, their beliefs had firm ground.

"I've often been amazed how you are able to sense magic," Edmund said. "It is a gift, I think. Sometimes I wish I had it."

Lucy fiddled with her dress skirt. It was a dark red, like wine, and her bodice was silver with white embroidery. "You have had to develop faith in what you cannot sense." She looked at him. "I think that is the greater gift."

Edmund shook his head. "I am hardly any good with blind faith. How many times have I lacked belief in you? Especially when we were young."

"You've grown so much, Edmund," she replied, "we are not the same we were when we first came to Narnia."

He had not forgiven himself for his deeds he had done years ago. It was he who had caused Mr. Tumnus's arrest, the deaths of good animals, and he had almost gotten his brother and sisters killed. All because of his blind selfishness.

Since his captivity by the White Witch, he had nightmares. They always seemed so real. It was as though the past repeated itself, that she had taken him and often his siblings captive again. That they were hit, starving, and cold.

So cold.

No warmth left, no sunlight.

And it was all his fault.

Every single time. Always on him. Their pain was his doing.

The nightmares no longer came so frequent. For that he was grateful. He hated waking up in a cold sweat, shivering, nearly able to make out the tyrant queen's tall figure looming above him in the dark.

He kept the nightmares a secret. He liked to pretend he was not damaged. Still damaged. Aslan had absolved him, but he had never forgiven himself. Never let go. Whenever he thought he had finally let go another nightmare came. One came the night before Aslan came, when Lucy cornered him into telling her how he was feeling. They always affected him the next day.

"Edmund," Lucy interrupted as she got to her feet, "we best be getting some sleep."

He stood with a tired sigh. "Right."

They said their goodnights as they parted ways to enter their separate tents. Both Edmund and Lucy laid awake in their hammocks, minds scattered by multiple threads of thought.

The Narnians would venture into the forest in the morning. Their advisor, Runemane, told them that he believed it was called Westerna, land beyond the Western Wilds. The centaur had very limited knowledge of the area, but to his credit very few sources gave any information at all.

Dawn arrived, and the Narnians methodically packed up camp. Everyone carried something, every object accounted for and assigned to someone. Months of practice made them efficient.

Lucy and Edmund had declined riding, deciding the horses needed to focus on their footing. Lucy hummed as she walked, eyes roaming their surroundings. They had not spotted any creatures other than insects. But they heard them.

Birds sang in the treetops far overhead.

They made good time as they trekked through the forest. It seemed that the underbrush did not slow them down. Before they had left Lantern Waste on Aslan's request, Edmund had sent messengers to summon more squadrons stationed at two outposts somewhat close by. Their collective force numbered at roughly two hundred and fifty personnel, consisting of five centaurs, eleven good dwarves, twenty leopards, nineteen griffons, twenty-three Woodsmen and Woodswomen, fifty-one fauns, and many other animals.

Usually with a group this size, moving through a forest would be quite difficult. However, it seemed like Aslan gave them a blessing of speed and easy travel. They made good time during the day. Since there were no explorers they knew of that had mapped out those regions, they were guided solely on the detailed instructions of the Great Lion. In the evening the Narnians set up camp. Lucy sent out six birds as scouts to scout the surrounding forest and the path ahead.

When the birds returned to their king and queen their feathers were ruffled with excitement.

"Sires, we tried to talk to some of the native birds, but they are dumb! No use speaking to them!" One of the small hawks said.

"Yes! Yes!" They cried, fluttering their small wings.

"Well done," Edmund said, nodding.

"Did you see any evidence of other inhabitants?" Lucy asked.

"Yes," the hawk answered, "I saw in the distance nests in the trees. Big wooden nests, like ones built by some type of people."

"Good work," Edmund said, "if there is nothing else, you are dismissed."

The birds bowed their heads and took to the sky, chattering to each other excitedly. The royal siblings turned to Runemane. The centaur knew the most out of the company about the landscape, which is not saying much since they passed outside of most Narnian's scope of knowledge.

"Wish we knew more about this area," Lucy muttered.

"I apologize, my King and Queen," Runemane said, his dark eyes solemn, "all I know of this land I have told you. There are no Woodsmen or Woodswomen that dwell here. No talking beasts. By some mystery they are connected to the Great Lion. That is all."

"We must trust in Aslan's word," Lucy said, glancing at her brother. "It is all we can do at this point."

That night, Edmund had another nightmare. He was walking through the forest when the tree roots started to grab at his boots. He tried to avoid their grasp when the underbrush twisted around his ankles. The green leaves felt like suction cups, grasping onto his boots and pants.

His breaths became gasps.

Sweat started to drip from his brow.

He drew his sword and started hacking at the vines. Where one was cut another replaced it. He looked up as a sound started drifting from the trees. It was a song. Someone was singing.

It was not beautiful in the sense of the word. It was haunting, chilling, seductive. He knew her voice, even though she had never sung to him. The song was of ice and stone. Of a cage with no escape.

You will never leave me.

I will set you free.

Bound in shackles, frozen.

All belongs to me.

My little prince, my traitor.

Your blood meant to be,

Dripping on Stone Table.

Death to always see.

Edmund's limbs became heavy. He could not even lift his sword. The vines reached his torso, squeezing the breath out of him. His lungs burned. No air. No air. The roots felt like a hangman's knot. They reached his neck.

No air.

The White Witch laughed. Her laugh became louder and louder. Less prim, less queen-like. It became a cackle. Crazed, as if from an old hag. The world dimmed in and out. Edmund scraped at the roots wrapped around his neck.

She was back. She was always back. She would always find him. There was no escape. The cold will always find you. Always penetrate your skin, seep into your veins, chill your blood. She was the cold. She was the ice at midnight, frost in the morning, the snow spikes in a winter storm. And she would always find him. He would forever be her prisoner, her prince traitor.

"Please, stop!" He yelled, bolting upright. His bed creaked. Edmund's hands grasped at his throat. He could still feel the ghost of the vines and roots next to his skin.

"I am safe." He held one finger.

"My family is safe." He gripped a second finger. His hands shook.

"My friends are safe. I am free. I am present." With each sentence he added another of his five fingers. Sometimes he thought something was wrong with his mind. That it was ill. Ever since he had been imprisoned by Queen Jadis. He developed his mantra for when he had dreams of flash backs. It was the only thing that could calm his mind. Sometimes he would repeat it for minutes on end, feeling the texture of each of his fingers.

Edmund closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. He startled when the flap to his tent opened, revealing a figure hidden by the dark. It was the figure of a woman. His eyes widened.

But it was his sister that stepped into his tent. Her brown hair was tussled, her eyes wide with concern. "Ed?"

He sat up straighter, hand combing through his messy hair. "What are you doing awake?" he asked.

"I heard you crying out."

"Oh." His lips pressed together as he thought of a good reply. He couldn't afford to make her fret. "My leg fell asleep. That's all."

She frowned. He was caught.

"Don't lie to me. You had a nightmare. You have had nightmares for years."

"You knew?"

"I was waiting for you to tell me."

Her words felt like she slapped him in the face. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you."

She climbed into the bed with him, their shoulders pressed together. "It made me worry so much more."

"I-I…"

She shook her head. "You don't have to explain yourself. I understand."

Edmund's inner walls crumbled. "She still haunts me."

He sounded so vulnerable. He wrapped his arms around his little sister and buried his face into her shoulder. She held him. He didn't care if he was older, that he was supposed to be the strong one. None of the siblings had seen their mother and father in many years, since they came to Narnia. Sometimes he dreamt of them, that his mother would take him into her arms, that his father would tell him how proud he was. But Edmund still had his brother and sisters. He had Lucy. She was always there for him.

He silently thanked Aslan for her. He needed her right now.

And there she was.

He would never let anything happen to her.

* * *

_/A.N./ Story time: I randomly came across a similar mantra as Edmund's in a different fanfic where a character had PTSD and used it. When I developed my PTSD myself, I remembered it and used it after I would have flashbacks or feel one coming on. It worked better for me than breathing and sensory techniques. I partly included it so it would fit in with Edmund's PTSD, and also for the off chance it could help someone else. _

_CeruleanPencils: Radagast is surprisingly hard for me to write without making him just a comedic relief or a doofus. Glad I'm getting him right! About the romance subplot, I'm thinking OC/OC, just to make things in the background but still a nice romance for those who like it. _

_If anyone else has any ideas on the romance subplot, let me know! I'll do my best to incorporate suggestions! As usual, reviews are immensely appreciated. Thanks for reading!_

_Sincerely__,_

_N.T.N._


	6. Chapter 5

"Elven folklore tells of beautiful creatures beyond the eastern forests and wildernesses," Galadriel said as she smoothed the wrinkles in her dress as she sat on some large grey rocks. "They are the spirits of the trees. These spirits move and dance and sing. They were called Woodsmen or Woodswomen."

"That sounds like a description of Ents," Radagast commented.

"Perhaps, but they are said to be more spirit than solid tree."

Galadriel and Radagast often chatted while the trio stopped to give their horses (and rabbits) rest. Saruman kept to himself unless he felt he needed to share his vast scholarly knowledge with them.

"Another creature in folklore is a wild man that is half human half goat," the elf continued, eyes looking past Radagast into the starry sky. "In my younger days, my husband and I chanced upon a creature of that description during one of our travels. He called himself a faun, one of the last in Middle Earth. The Faun said he had to return to his homeland, that it was in great peril. I never saw him or any of his kind again."

Radagast fiddled with his ragged hat, adjusting it's strange flaps that stood out to the sides. Saruman read his thick leather-bound book as he usually did at nights. The wizards and elven woman did not need as much sleep as humans did. They took advantage of this and often rode late into the night. The horses they had obtained needed rest, since they tired sooner than their masters from the long distance they covered every day. The Rosgobel rabbits needed their rest too. Their kind were sprinters, not long-distance animals.

Saruman's thoughts drifted to the One Ring, an object that had dominated his mind the past few months. Rumors had said that it had been found after its disappearance over a thousand years ago. The infuriating part was that no one knew exactly where it was.

Saruman told himself that with the Ring he could destroy the Dark Lord Sauron once and for all. He had spent the last few months reading as many ancient texts as he could obtain on the subject. He soaked up any piece of knowledge concerning the nearly forgotten magical item. Knowledge is the bringer of power. And he needed every last drop of it. He was up to the task, he was an Istri after all. Sent to these lands to combat Sauron's devastating influences. Saruman begrudged the recent developments because they hindered his search for the Ring. It could solve all of his problems. The demise of Sauron was the reason why he was sent to Middle Earth in the beginning.

He was about to turn a page of his book when a scream ripped through the night's sounds. The three of them were immediately on guard. The Lady had already turned to the origin of the cry. Radagast gripped his staff, its end pointed in the same direction Galadriel faced. Saruman was on his feet, eyes scanning their surroundings.

Men shouting. The desperate barking of a dog. A baby crying. The dog had silenced. A woman screamed again.

In moments the three travelers had crossed the grass field they had camped in. The high grasses and bushes parted to a dirt road. A black dog laid on the ground, blood seeping from its head. Men wearing masks shoved a young man, hardly out of boyhood, away from a young woman who clutching a bundle against her chest.

"You have one warning," Galadriel said as she slowly stepped onto the dusty road. "Leave these people."

Saruman circled to the left of the Lady, Radagast approached from the right. The short wizard bent down and placed a hand on the dog, then clenched his staff almost to the point of breaking the wood.

"What will a dainty elf woman and two old men do if we refuse?" One of the men asked, his gruff voice muffled by the black fabric hiding his face.

"Humans simply cannot tell when it is their time to back down," Saruman muttered to himself, shaking his head.

Galadriel's blue eyes were trained on the man who stood in front of the young woman who had been thrown to the ground. He shifted on his feet, uncomfortable in her piercing gaze.

"I would do as she says," Radagast suggested, a sternness in his tone. The person who had spoken earlier chuckled, reassuring the others.

"If you will not move, we will move you," he snarled.

Galadriel had already moved by the time multiple swords slid from their scabbards. Radagast sent an energy pulse from his magic staff that knocked one of the men in front of her to the ground. In one motion, she bent and picked up his fallen sword, turned, and slashed another's arm, nearly severing it.

More jumped into the fray, the young woman cried out as someone fell on top of her. In moments, there were no more marauders except for the outspoken one. They had all run away limping and bleeding. No one had been killed.

"Leave." Galadriel held her sword in one hand, pointing it towards the marauder. The fabric wrapped around his face had been ripped, revealing skin tanned by the sun, and a short black beard. His brown eyes held fire within them, glaring defiantly at the one holding him at sword point. Everyone held their breaths, waiting for what he would do.

He knew what he would do.

He would not be defeated by these foreigners.

His merchandise taken from his grasp.

His dignity lost.

He dive-rolled to the side, avoiding the blade. He pulled a concealed knife from his robes slid to the young woman who was still huddled on the ground clutching the bundle to her chest. She squeaked as he pressed the knife to her neck and pulled her in front of him. He eyed the two old men and elf, his eyes as keen as a hawk's.

He heard something behind him but before he could turn himself and his hostage around his head exploded with pain. The world flashed white.

Then everything was black. And he fell to the ground, a gash in his head and the knife falling from his hand.

The young man dropped a large rock, eyes wide. He soon snapped out of his shock and pulled the unconscious man off of the woman.

He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face into his shoulder. Her hair formed tangled, curly loops. The two parted to look down at the bundle of cloth between them.

A baby. A newborn baby.

Galadriel's maternal instincts kicked in. Her face softened, nothing like her expression that could strike fear into a mortal's heart. "Are you injured?"

The young man looked up. "Only a little, thank you strangers."

Galadriel knelt in front of the two, taking the woman's hand in her own. She sent warm healing magic into her fingertips, spreading to the hand she grasped. The woman gasped, and then her hunched shoulders lowered, her face relaxed, and she breathed out. Galadriel looked at the babe, reminded of her own daughter, who was long grown up. The poor thing was only a month old at the latest.

"What happened?" Radagast asked. Then he remembered manners. "If I may ask."

Saruman looked around the wreckage they had created but did not touch anything.

"We're from a village somewhere somewhat nearby. Taalay and the baby were taken by one morning and I ran after them, not thinking of calling for help. I was no match, they beat me and tied my hands together."

"They kidnap and enslave," Saruman said, stroking his white beard.

"They raid too, but my village has too many strong men."

Galadriel stood. Both Taalay and the baby had stopped crying. The blonde turned to her companions. "We can finish this conversation at the camp. These three need somewhere warm to sleep tonight."

She ushered the two adults towards where they had made camp. "Come, you can tell us your tale when you are warm and fed."

* * *

_/A.N./ I know I'm a day late, but I was at a family reunion camping all week. Thanks for being patient! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hopefully I didn't miss anything in my proofreading. _

_BookWorm210: I totally agree, side characters make it easy not to overshadow the bigger plot. I think you'll like what I have in store!_

_LithIthilwa: Thanks! I only write poetry in spirts hehe. Can't wait to hear what you think of the other chapters whenever you get around to reading them!_

_sebias of redwall: Edmund doesn't seem to be the type to let go of things easily, especially when its his fault. He still comments about it later in the movies and in the books if I remember correctly. Rest assured, Radagast is going to have tons of fun seeing the Narnian animals. And you'll see what happens to Saruman, but I'm drawing heavily from the Unfinished Tales and Silmarilion for his character._

_DarthVader: I haven't thought of those ideas! Aslan doing some subtle healing is a really good idea, and I love the concept of Aslan drawing Thorin out of Dragon Sickness. We shall see! (Shameless plug: I have a Star Wars short story and if it interests you I'd love to hear what you think!)_

_Guest: Two people have suggested Aslan interacting with the Valar, so I'll definitely think on that._

_You have no idea how happy it made me to have two guest reviews asking me to update when I'm only a day late! Means I'm doing it right and keeping my suspense up. Also I love the suggestions, gives me a different point of view. Thank you!_

_Until next week,_

_N.T.N._


	7. Chapter 6 (part 1)

Edmund saw a shadow dart through the trees in the corner of his eye. The Narnian company trekked through the forest. Edmund lagged in the middle of the group and talked with a group of fauns about the climate and greenery. The air grew more humid the longer they walked. The plants became more tropical in species.

"Ed, please come here for a moment," Lucy called from the front of the group. He wove his way through the animals to reach his sister.

They fell into step side by side. She leaned ever so slightly towards him and pretended to be whispering some funny secret to him. Her smile hardly shined as it usually did, and her eyes hid worry behind the fake gleam of happiness.

"I saw something in the shadows of the trees move. Keep your eyes open," she whispered. "No, look higher."

A shadow moved from one tree branch to the other. If he hadn't been looking, he would not have caught it. His face remained impassive, with the hint of a smile at his sister's supposed joke. The shadow was too large to be a bird or squirrel type creature.

He looked at his company and noticed they too were on alert.

"Are we sure the people won't be hostile on first contact?" Edmund whispered. He put his arm around her shoulders as a casual gesture, but with the intent to be closer to her ear. "Aslan didn't specify."

She paused. "He said they would help…"

From the towering trees in front of them came a feminine voice. Edmund strained his ears to understand the words. It sounded like gibberish. He and Lucy glanced at each other and immediately came to the conclusion that it was a completely different language. He looked behind him and sought out Runemane. The centaur's face was blank, he didn't recognize the words spoken either.

Edmund stepped to the front of the company with slow steps. He raised his hand to shoulder level, showing he was weaponless. "We are sent by the Golden Lion. Peace."

He used the name that Aslan had instructed. Golden Lion fit quite well, even if the Narnians did not use the term.

A figure jumped down from the branches. This was without a doubt the shape they had seen. They looked human, but Edmund had a feeling it was not truly a human. She had a long lithe shape, with female attributes. In her left hand she held a spear poised over her shoulder. More humanoids jumped from branches overhead and landed on the ground near her. A few stayed on lower branches but allowed themselves to be seen in the light.

She spoke again in her language. This could make things complicated.

One of the males who landed next to her snapped something at the group. She held her hand up and spoke to him. His brow furrowed.

"Might Vernac have your tongue?"

Edmund blinked. "What?"

"_Have _my tongue?" Lucy added, just as perplexed.

The woman whispered to herself in the foreign language, frowning. Her face lit up. "Be!"

"Might Vernac _be_ my tongue?" Edmund asked.

Lucy nodded instead. She spoke slowly and as clear as possible. "Yes, we speak English."

"English? Vernac?" The woman looked just as perplexed as Edmund felt.

"Yes. The same."

Edmund let Lucy take lead of the conversation. She was proving to be the best at communicating despite the language barrier.

The warrior eyed the group. "You transverse as friend or foe?"

"Friend."

She nodded and translated to the others. "With purpose…" she paused, "with _what_ purpose came you?"

Lucy thought on what words to say. She needed to phrase the Narnians' intent correctly and be understood. If not, they could misinterpret her words and negotiations would become complicated.

This was a pivotal moment.

"Safe passage and aid. We were sent by the Golden Lion."

The woman's brow furrowed, lookin down slightly. "Golden Lion…" She looked up again shocked eyes. "_Gol din lon_? Cordena, eska o aken kiri nanlarna se?"

Lucy made it quite clear in her expression that she could not understand. The strangers argued rapidly with each other, until finally the woman made a motion for them to follow.

After their encounter with what Edmund now assumed to be a sort of border patrol, they came to an overgrown path. It eventually stopped before a massive tree that had what resembled a spiral staircase climbing up its trunk. When he looked up his breath left him. Houses were carved into the large trees and thin branches and vines had been woven around each other to form bridges and walkways. Above him was a village in the forest canopy.

"We arise," the woman said, gesturing upwards.

He looked over his shoulder at his company of Narnians. He doubted many of them would be comfortable with being at such heights, away from stable ground. Especially the hooved creatures like the horses, fauns, and centaurs.

"Ma'am," Edmund said, turning back to the leader. Her expression showed she did not know the word he used, and in response her companions tightened their grips on their weapons. He raised his hands again, attempting to deescalate.

She ignored the others and looked him in the eye, then gestured to herself with her hand. "Ellethna."

Edmund hoped he understood correctly. "Your name is Ellethna?"

She nodded. "Name Ellethna."

He pointed to himself. "My name is Edmund," then he turned to his sister and gestured at her. "Her name is Lucy."

Normally on diplomatic meetings Edmund would introduce himself and his sister with all the formalities that a king and queen would be tied to. However, with the language barrier, the simpler communication was, the better. The first big hurtle would be to explain that some of his men needed to stay on the ground instead of following them into the trees.

Lucy spoke before he could.

"Some of us must stay here." She pointed first to a group of fauns and then Runemane as examples, then to the ground at her feet. Ellethna and her companions discussed the matter rapidly, forming an argument between them.

Edmund breathed in through his nose. The air felt far more humid than he was used to, even at the coast near their castle of Cair Paravel. Gnats buzzed around him, ants climbed up the bark of the trees, birds sung high in the branches. The forest brimmed with life, and the sheer magnitude was breathtaking, not at all smothering.

"Come with Craelo, praythee." Ellethna nodded to one of her companions, a tall man with shoulder length black hair. She gestured to the hoved Narnians and swept her hand from them to Telaren. Edmund turned to them and smiled, nodding his consent.

"Old stone buildings, them will safe." She tried to explain, moving her hands as she spoke.

Edmund figured she meant they will _be _safe. He and Runemane made eye contact as they parted ways. The company split up. those who did not follow Telaren started their ascent into the trees. Edmund walked behind Lucy, partly because she had gone first and partly because he wanted to make sure she did not fall off the ledge.

The stair panels that wrapped around the main trunk were made from manipulating how the branches grew. They wrapped around the panels that had been lightly pressed into the flesh of the tree, moved into shape by expert craftsmen to create a steady spiral up the tree that did not damage it.

When they reached the top they looked at their surroundings. The village looked like something from folklore. Tall people with tan skin and long dark hair walked across bridges made from intertwined branches and vines. Their oval faces and long limbs differentiated them from other humans Edmund and Lucy remembered in their old home. They vaguely reminded Lucy of some of the dryads serving in the Narnian company, their brown skin almost blending in with the bark of some trees. The people did not look idle, they always seemed to have a task in hand. Some carried baskets of leaves and cloth, others pots of water, others tending to herbs and vegetables, and watching children play.

"Woah," Lucy whispered. "Its completely different from anything else we've seen."

Ellethna turned to them and smiled proudly. "Behold, Marenkai home-place: Yanamara."

* * *

_/A.N./ Okay so introducing my fictional people. I created them for this story in the original version, and am now in the process of writing a series based around them. This is somewhat practice to help me with the language stuff because I TOTALLY DUG MYSELF INTO A LINGUISTIC PIT. They only know a bit of english, but 16th century(ish) version cause they've been isolated for like 300 years, but its also non-fluent broken english, so I need to convey those two things but still make it understandable dialogue. Hope it works and any pointers are welcome!_

_sebias of redwall: Action is coming in plenty, don't you worry! I'm trying to keep this fast paced but there is still a need to set everything up, you know? Thanks for bringing woodsmen up, I never thought to clarify. Woodsmen/women are another word Lewis gives for dryads. The dancing tree spirits who look like floating petals in the movies? Those creatures. I'll feature them soon for ya._

_Diego Ortiz: I'm so glad! Yeah, I scrapped my first intro cause it sounded like an essay. Rookie mistake. Now the information is being spread throughout the story. Susan and Peter spotlight is a good idea. As you know from reading the original, this story's scope is so big I'm afraid to swing over to Narnia as well. I think I'll write a separate one-shot with their POV on all of this._

_Hey guys that gave me an idea, would you like me to have a series of one-shots of the concepts that aren't quite the core story? Like the Aslan and Valar thing. Again, this story's scope is big and I don't want to spread it out too much._

_See ya next Monday,_

_N.T.N._


	8. Chapter 7 (part 2)

The warriors brought the Narnians to a place in the center of the village. They had called it the _voro. _It looked like a town square, bridges from all directions connecting to the center platform, with a thin thatched roof overhead, but no walls.

As the group had walked through the village, they had attracted whispers and stares, and eventually some people cautiously followed them from behind. In the center of the _voro _was a rug, and an elderly man sat on it. He was the first man they had seen who had a beard.

At their approach the elder looked up. Those around him treated him with respect. The warriors clapped their fists over their hearts. He nodded in reply. A conversation ensued in the tribe's tongue. Edmund remembered Runemane had recommended to offer gifts to the people to show good will. He looked to Lucy who was standing to his right and mouthed 'gifts'. She reached into a large pocket within her skirt and pulled out two pouches. One of the warriors quipped something in slight alarm to the others and everyone's hands darted to their weapons. Lucy froze, Edmund raised his hands and tried to placate them.

"Peace, peace!"

Ellethna ordered her comrades to stand down. She pointed to the objects in Lucy's hands. "Bring hither."

Lucy slowly stepped forwards and placed the two pouches on the wooden floor. Rising from her crouched position, she sluggishly returned to her former position multiple steps away. Ellethna bent down and picked up both pouches. Her long fingers pried the drawstring open and gingerly pulled out its contents. A light brown square cracker. She eyed it, turning it over in her hand and sniffing it. She looked up.

"Food?"

Edmund nodded. "Yes. A cracker."

Ellethna turned around, looking to her superior. The elderly man pursed his lips. He pointed from the cracker to Edmund and gave a command.

The young warrior's expression hid slight annoyance at his skepticism. She handed the piece of food to Edmund, the hint of a reassuring smile on her otherwise stern face. "Praythee, eat to prove no malintent."

Edmund took the cracker from Ellethna's hand and smiled, making eye contact with the woman before him and their elder behind. He bit into it, making a _crunch_.

Once he finished the piece of food, they seemed to be satisfied. Ellethna pulled out the object in the second pouch. A two branched flute, the same type as the one Mr. Tumnus had played to Lucy all those years ago.

The young warrior's brow was furrowed, thick lips pressed in a line. strands of her black hair fell in her face as she held the flute shaft up to her eye, trying to peer through it.

"It's a flute," Lucy said, coming to stand near her with her palm open. Ellethna put the object in Lucy's outstretched hand.

"Music." The young queen said before putting the mouthpiece lightly between her lips. She had learned the basics of how to play back at Cair Paravel, Mr. Tumnus and other fauns spending hours with her laughing, singing, and dancing.

Unlike the hauntingly sad lullaby that the old faun had played that fateful winter eve, Lucy played a melody of rebirth, a beautiful sunrise, tea with an old friend, provoking a peaceful smile. Edmund smiled proudly.

The song only lasted a minute, but it was enough to win some trust from the Marenkai people. They were drawn to beautiful things.

Everyone became more relaxed towards their visitors, while still holding some caution. Edmund could not blame them, from what little knowledge the Narnian's had of them, they had been isolated for quite a long time. A few more men and women came to sit around the elder. They bore a similar command of respect. The circle conversed with each other. A few women sat calmly, replying quickly to the other's remarks and questions. A man and a woman detested loudly, pointing every once and a while to the Narnian group.

After more exchanges between the warriors and the councilors, one of the women sitting in the circle stood gracefully. Her long hair was braided to one side, her oval face closely resembling Ellethna's. Wooden beads that were threaded onto her cream waist band clinked against each other.

"We welcome thee," the woman announced, "to Yanamara. Whence comest thou? What wouldst thou?"

Lucy took the initiative. "From the East. We are sent by the orders of the Golden Lion. Aslan."

The woman nodded. "So we heard. His tidings?"

The moment of truth.

"We need guides to the west of the forest."

Some of the council members frowned. Lucy bit her lip. She suspected they would not like their second request.

"And any warriors you can spare so there are better odds of defeating the evil creatures west."

The woman whispered under her breath and looked down at her open palms, sliding her fingers over the indents in her hand. She turned and translated to the council. Every council member turned to the elder sitting in their midst. His dark eyes bore into Lucy's, as if searching her soul. The corners of his lips lifted a little. He spoke, and all listened. He raised his hand to the sky, and then lowered it so he was gesturing the Narnians. The man's deep voice seemed to strike thought in the others.

Lucy and Edmond shifted their weight on their sore feet, mirroring each other subconsciously. The animals that had come with them into the trees refused to sit, but they too looked tired. The birds had it the easiest, perching on branches slightly above the others.

Yellow and blue feathered parrots sat on the branches above the village center. The birds looked down and eyed them, their color patterns almost shifting in the light. A group of three spider monkeys disturbed branches near the _voro_ building, chirping and chattering to each other.

Two concerned members, both similarly tall men, seemed to question the consensus. She made a proposal, which the elderly man nodded in approval of, and the others in the council grudgingly agreed to.

She turned to the Narnian group, who straightened at her attention. "Royals, dine in my abode. Companions recline here tonight. Thyself and our warriors shalt depart at dawn-light. High Priest Nezcum foretold your coming."

Their high priest foretold their coming? Edmund raised his eyes to the sky, trying to see the sun's position through the canopy. It had to be early evening if his sense of time was correct, even without the sun.

The elders dispersed, a few glaring at the Narnians while a few smiled slightly. The older man who had sat the entire time nodded at them, then stood slowly. Ellethna gestured for them to come with her and the councilwoman. Another guard trailed them. As the two women walked side by side, a resemblance became obvious. Both had similar lithe frames, long limbs, and facial features. Their skin tone matched, a tan that resembled tree bark. All of the Marenkai people had long limbs and often very oval faces, but their skin tones varied, even if all of them had some degree of brown.

The group of five crossed bridges and came to a large tree with a hollow knot used as a doorway. Edmund and Lucy were ushered inside and they realized it was not the trunk of one tree. It was a mass of twisting trees, almost like roots high above the ground. The home was one room, with little sections designated as a kitchen, sleeping place, and an area where piles of plant fibers and strange comb-like devices laid on the floor.

Lucy looked at Ellethna, who had set her spear in a corner and untied her belt that had a pouch and two knife sheaths attached. She saw Lucy's questions in her eyes and glanced over to the older woman who was bent over a bowl of fruits.

"Thae," she pointed, then pointed to herself, "mine mother."

Lucy nodded, unsurprised. She took in the home, then reached out and grabbed ahold of Edmund's upper arm.

Ellethna gestured to the two of them. "Spouses?"

They smiled and shook their heads in unison. "Brother and sister."

Ellethna nodded, smiling apologetically. She repeated in her language to the other guard, whom Lucy had forgotten about. He was a tall fellow, black hair tied back in a short ponytail. His garb was similar to Ellethna's, a loose shirt made from two squares sown together at the shoulders and secured by a belt, and loose pants tied at the ankles. Both wore animal skin boots.

She pointed to the man. "Telaren, fellow warrior mine."

Telaren gave a slight smile. His face was reserved and his posture formal. He eyed his surroundings, as if he had never seen them before, and never relaxed upon stepping onto the threshold like the two women had. He must not be friends with this family.

Thae approached them holding a wooden bowl full of fruit the siblings had never seen before. She placed it on a rug and sat down cross-legged next to it. "Seat yourself," she ushered, sweeping her hand across the red, brown, and indigo fabric. Ellethna sat beside her and signaled for Telaren to seat himself too. He waited until Edmund and Lucy sat before he followed.

"We have questions," Edmund said.

"As do I, young sir," Thae replied. She popped a green and red fruit into her mouth. It looked similar to a cherry despite the color difference. Lucy reached out to try one.

"Camucamu," Elletha smiled. "my tongue treasures it most."

"You mean its your favorite fruit?" Lucy asked, taking a bite. Her face scrunched up as its tartness exploded in her mouth.

Thae frowned. "Ay. We speak same tongue now, but our words differ."

Edmund stroked his chin in thought. "How do you know this language, though it is not your mother tongue?"

"Ancestors spake Vernac," Ellethna answered for her mother, "few presently read scrolls ancient, but we do."

"My father's trade," Thae paused, trying to remember the word, "scribe? Scribe. He showed me our ancestor's writings. Taught me the tongue to read."

Lucy and Edmund looked at each other. This tribe's ancestors must have come from parts of the world that spoke English. If not from Narnia, perhaps Middle Earth? This woman's father had taught himself, or had learned from his parent the language of their founders, taught his child, who in turn taught hers.

"Edmund, language changes over the centuries. They have only learned the version from hundreds of years ago." Lucy turned from her brother to Thae and Ellethna, "You have learned the old form of our language, not the modern one we all speak."

Edmund ran his hands over a lumpy green fruit and raised it to his lips a bite. It had a round pinecone shape and its skin furthered the resemblance.

"Nay!" Ellethna stopped him from eating the fruit. He stared at her with startled eyes. She gently took the fruit from his hands and started to unpeel it with her fingernail. Once it was partly unpeeled, she returned it to him.

"Eat flesh not skin," she explained, and grabbed one for herself.

Meanwhile Lucy and Thae had continued their choppy conversation. Thae revealed orcs had terrorized the Marenkai on their way to Narnia. The need for border guards and warriors was greater than ever in living memory. It made the people weary of foreigners. The main reason the tribe's leaders had agreed to send warriors with the Narnians was because their high priest had received a vision in a dream a few nights before. He had said it was a tawny big cat and identified it as the Golden Lion. The high priest was the respected elder they had seen at the _voro_ meeting. Lucy asked their hostess how they knew of Aslan.

Ellethna and Thae spoke rapidly to each other. The younger stood and grabbed two objects near the sleeping matts on the other side of the home. She placed a tiny bowl of black ink on the floor and a carved pen next to it. In her other hand she opened a leather journal of sorts, flipping through the handwritten pages.

She dipped her pen into the ink and drew on an empty page.

Edmund and Lucy glanced at each other, curious. Their ears picked up the sound of water droplets falling onto leaves. They turned their heads and looked outside. Lethargic raindrops fell from the heavens, far enough apart from each other that it was only a drizzle.

"Blue clad men came ancient ago." Ellethna struggled finding words, so she pointed to two human figures in the middle of the page, both holding staffs. Her finger glided down the page to a depiction of the same people fighting misshapen figures, one's staff emitting light beams and the other slashing a foe with his.

"Pallando Romestamo and Alatar Morinehtar," Thae said, referencing the two figures. "Slayed evil with magic. Rebuilt our forest home."

Nearby was a depiction of a crowd of people. "They imparted vast knowledge upon us. Many had ears to hear."

"Look Edmund!" Lucy pointed to a cluster of wavy lines. "That looks like a lion."

The lines formed the shape of a lion's head, albeit a very impressionistic image of the creature.

"It does," Edmund muttered, studying the page intently. He leaned forward.

"Gol din lon," Ellethna said as she tapped the drawing in question.

"Golden lion." Edmund straightened. "So they taught you of Aslan."

"Aslan? Oh, _Gol din lon._ Aslan. That they did, said to heed his orders. And," Thae tapped the last little image, one of a bridge connecting two cliffs with a guard holding a spear at each end, "charged people mine to protect border between worlds."

"Incredible. I wonder who the two men truly were." Lucy tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked up at her hostesses. She searched her mind for legends of blue robbed men who possessed magic, but nothing struck her.

Before either could reply squeals erupted from the doorway. Three children came running in, playing some game. Just behind them a boy came to a halt as he saw the visitors. Between breaths he apologized and explained in his language. Thae replied as the youngest child, appearing around three years, tugged on her skirt. The woman lifted the little boy into her arms and spoke to the other two at her feet.

She turned and smiled apologetically to Lucy, Edmund and Telaren, who had grown uncomfortable in not knowing what to do with themselves. Ellethna helped to pass fruit to the children, quieting them instantly. After a family dinner consisting of a strange type of bread and chopped vegetables, everyone settled for an hour of quiet discussion. Their form of communication mostly involved the two royals and Ellethna exchanging drawings and brief words.

At nightfall Telaren retired to his own home, and Edmund and Lucy were given a large sleeping mat and handwoven blanket. It was all the family had to spare. In the morning the Narnians, joined by Ellethna, Telaren, and ten more of their warriors, set forth from Yanamara.

After only a few days of impossibly swift travel, King Edmund and Queen Lucy stood at the top of a grassy hill overlooking a large river weaving through a green plane. This was the place Lucy had dreamt of the night previously, revealing an intended meeting place.

"Griffons," Edmund said, "use your keen eyes to spot three humanoids by the river, as our Lord instructed."

With an eagle's cry the creatures leapt from the ground.

* * *

_/A.N./ I cannot tell you how long it took me to write this darn chapter, and how difficult it was. I hope all my hard work paid off! Exciting things ahead!_

_BookWorm210: Thanks!_

_Diego Ortiz: I never thought of Mr. Tumnus as a war hero, though that sounds kinda cool. I'll have to think about that!_

_sebias of redwall: I've been brainstorming the one-shots stuff and I agree. Looks like other writers do that and its less stressful than another big project hehe. Speaking of stress, communication in this chapter had me writing and rewriting for the past two weeks. Glad the accents are convincing._

_Flash: I added your ideas to the list of requests. I need to reread the Silmarillion to make sure I get as much accurate as I can. Even though your idea about Aslan's country and the Timeless Halls deviates from cannon a bit, I had been thinking about doing some meshing similar to that. Thanks!_

_Thank you for all the reviews and ideas! I have no idea when I'll be ready to post the one-shots with college starting back up in a few weeks, but it's on the list!_

_Love,_

_N.T.N._


	9. Chapter 8

"Our village is poor, and our families sought to combine resources to provide for everyone. So they arranged a marriage between the two of us, despite our age." Aibek, the young man who they rescued from marauders, sat by the fire holding a finely crafted wooden mug in his hand. Galadriel had insisted they drink some hot tea and make themselves comfortable by the fire. His posture was almost uncomfortably straight, as if in attempt to avoid appearing small before the towering foreigners (except Radagast, of course). The thick accent his voice was immersed in conveyed that the Common Tongue was not his native language. Galadriel gathered he had most likely learned it for the purpose of communicating with those outside his village.

"How old are you and your lady, lad?" Radagast asked, stroking the large rabbit that had climbed onto his lap.

Aibek shifted slightly, stirring Taalay, his wife. She was asleep against his shoulder, holding their daughter in her arms. "Seventeen, and she's sixteen, sir."

Saruman's eyebrows raised for just a moment, revealing the slight surprise he tried to mask. Galadriel smiled reassuringly; she had estimated their ages correctly.

"What is the tale behind your capture?" She asked, steering the conversation away from their ages. Galadriel knew it was not uncommon in poor rural villages, however it clearly made the young man uncomfortable.

The baby girl made a half cry, scrunching up her face and stretching her little arms. Then she settled back into sleep with a sigh. Her mother's arms instinctively wrapped around her child slightly tighter, even in sleep. Taalay had her knees bent and somewhat close to her chest, with the baby resting on them and between her protective arms.

"Once every six days Taalay always goes to the stream just outside our village to wash clothes," Aibek said. "Around four days ago she took Parisa, our daughter, to the stream to wash clothes as normal. I was in the fields not too far away. I heard her scream and Parisa crying and ran, not thinking of calling the other men of the village."

He shuddered, his shaggy black hair falling into his eyes. "I saw her struggling against large men dressed in black and concealing their faces. I swung the tool I had in hand, large hoe, and bashed one of them in the head. After that it was all over for me. They grabbed my arms and pulled me away from Taalay, who was holding Parisa too tightly for them to wrestle her away. They bound me in rough ropes and hauled us off. Zhyrgal, our hound, tracked us down and caught up with us a few days later. As you saw, they killed him when he attacked them. I doubt anyone in our village knows what happened to us."

The fire crackled, sending orange flakes into the heavens. The sun had set, leaving the sky a navy blue. The previously hot temperature had started to cool. Saruman thought to himself how cruel humans could be to each other, so short sighted. Selling each other for labor is quite petty, even if it can be effective to get work done. But then the slaves die quicker due to mistreatment, and it all goes to waste. If he had a massive project, he would consider using orc labor, offering some great reward for their service. That is the efficient short-term method to conduct large projects.

He looked up to see the elven Lady sitting near the young family. She spoke words of comfort. Her maternal instincts had been brought forth by their plight. Saruman would have to ensure they would not spend more time than necessary on this little mercy mission. They had much more important matters to place before all else.

"Do you wish us to escort you back to your home?" Radagast asked. The wizard rarely became truly angry, but the senseless death of the hound Zhyrgal filled his heart with rage. The brave dog had loyally tracked his master down and attacked his master's captors. Those evil men were lucky the gentle Radagast let them live.

Aibek shook his head. "I couldn't ask that of you after you saved us, we are in your debt. These lands are our native ground, we can return home on our own."

Before Galadriel could interject that they would be happy to ensure they arrived at their village safely Saruman spoke to her through telepathy.

_My Lady, we do not have time._

She did not reply, although she did make eye contact with him. She turned to Aibek. "Which direction is your village?"

He thought for a moment, looking up at the stars. Saruman sighed and shook his head slightly.

"To the east of us, following the River Running."

Galadriel nodded. "That is along our path."

_My Lady. They are humans who need more rest than us. They will slow us down._

_Saruman, we cannot leave children in the wilds to be preyed upon by bandits._

_They are not children, my Lady, and they live in these regions. They can take care of themselves._

_You have never had a child. They are still young._

_I have priorities in mind. _

_It is along our path, we will be passing nearby regardless._

_Once again, may I remind you of time?_

Galadriel sighed and rubbed her temples. "Let us decide our course of action in the morning."

Aibek nodded, sensing the unsaid tensions within the group. He carefully set his mug on the ground and leaned to his right, reaching for a blanket Radagast had set for him previously. Taalay stirred, her brown eyes fluttering open. With a heavy inhale, she looked up at her husband as she blinked sleep from her eyes.

"Sorry," he whispered. He pulled the blanket over both their legs. The pair soon arranged themselves in their makeshift bed, cloth bundles under their heads and a woven blanket over them. Aibek laid on his back; Taalay slept on her side, spine nearly touching his ribs and head resting on his upper arm. Baby Parisa slept near her mother, who had folded and shaped a large cloth into a makeshift cradle.

The Lady of Light ran her fingers through her golden tresses, tending to the knots that had formed in her single braid. Her eyes flickered to the sleeping forms of Aibek and Taalay. Their minds left themselves open to her mental gaze. Thoughts and images leaked into her consciousness. Taalay's thoughts almost reached out to her, and so she allowed herself to look into the girl's mind.

Ponderings of elves danced on the surface of Taalay's subconscious, primarily surprise that they were real. Galadriel smiled, amused that her people had only existed as a bedtime story to children. A thing of stories. She pierced deeper, revealing storm clouds of doubt, fear, and worry for family members. Faces covered with black fabric flickered in and out of the dark clouds. A bloody knife slashed across the sky.

But underneath it all, in the subconscious of the sixteen-year-old mother's mind, a little girl sat in the dark, with no idea how to move forward, how to be the woman she must.

Galadriel knelt down at the sleeping human's feet and reached out, a pale hand hovering over the blanket. As she extended her other hand over Aibek, waves of the young man's hidden emotions flooded her psyche. First came a relieved happiness, a comfort in his wife's trusting touch. Their daughter was safe, they were safe once again. Together. Safe.

Galadriel peered deeper into his mind. Joyful laughter turned into screams. Memories of watching his wife and child being kidnapped took hold of his subconscious. Whispers wove themselves through those terrible images.

_You cannot do it. You are too young. You can never protect them. You already failed. You will always fail. _

Galadriel closed her eyes. Her unique magic drifted from her fingertips into Aibek and Taalay. "Begone," she murmured.

The whispered doubts and fears fled from Aibek's mind; and the turbulent storm and bloody memories vanished from Taalay's. Ancient words in Quenya fell from the Elven Lady's lips and a peace fell upon the sleeping pair.

Satisfied, she gracefully stood and prepared her own resting mat for use. It had been a long few days and she had grown increasingly weary. That night, Galadriel's nightly repose was visited by something akin to a vision. It was scene as clear as reality but as distorted as a dream. She saw a soft-faced young woman standing on a grassy hill and a man with regal bearing and similar features by her side. Both wore simple crownlets on their brow. The young king raised his arm, hand towards the heavens, and large feline bodied creatures with wings of eagles took off to the sky. She recognized them from elven fairytales. Griffons. The feeling that these creatures were meant to find them and bring them to the Narnian camp impressed itself on Galadriel. She knew the two wizards and herself needed to be close enough to be found.

In the early hours of the morning, the two wizards and elf discussed their next course of action. Contrary to her instincts, she agreed that larger mission had to be first priority. This change of mind pleased Saruman greatly.

With a final farewell, the members of the White Council parted with the small family. As they bid farewell, Galadriel wisely urged the couple to lean on each other instead of trying to shoulder all their responsibilities alone.

With that, the two parties went their separate ways. Saruman took the lead on his grey stallion, taking the responsibility of keeping his companions adhered to their mission. Radagast soon followed on his unique transport, the sound of many rabbit feet hitting the ground overshadowed by wood sliding on dirt as the sled followed the animals. The Lady of Light sat on her white mare, watching the young humans they had rescued only the night before walk down a dirt path, away from her maternal reach. She sent a silent prayer to the Lady of the Stars for protection to surround them.

~{0}~

In the distance they heard the sound of horns. It was a noble and pure note that traveled across the hills from the east. Galadriel saw what her companions could not yet see. It was a military encampment bearing unfurled banners bearing the image of a golden lion.

"The Narnians approach," she said.

At her side, she noticed Saruman tightening his grip on his white staff. Doubt clouded his eyes. They made their way down from the hilltop where they stood towards the camp which was nestled at the feet of multiple foothills. Creatures she recognized to be griffons had been circling the skies above, all turned and flew back to the camp. The elf could just make out two figures astride horses. She recognized them from her dream. The Narnian King and Queen.

"The griffons have told them of our coming," she reported to Saruman and Radagast.

"Then," Saruman replied tensely, "let us meet them."

"A meeting long overdue," Radagast muttered to himself.

* * *

_/A.N./ A meeting long overdue indeed! And by meeting I mean new chapter. I'm so sorry it's taken this long to finish! Life has been crazy the last month, been fighting a sinus infection, visiting family, and now starting the semester. I know I was gone for 2 weeks, but I need time to write a few buffer chapters._

_Next chapter will be posted in two weeks, in which the Narnians and White Council finally meet! It will be worth the wait, I have plenty of good stuff in mind. Does anyone have some specific character interactions they are dying to read?_

_LithIthilwa: Glad you're catching up! ;) I wanted to publicly thank you for helping me with this chapter, giving me feedback on sentences I was having trouble with! I probably wouldn't of been able to post it this week._

_Owlqueen08: I agree, especially since the LotR and Hobbit movies have been out for a few years and we are still waiting for the Silver Chair (and all the actors are grown up), hype has died down a lot._

_Flash: Looks like you predicted the future... And now I won't have to switch back and forth between Narnians and White Council. Phew._

_Guest: Legolas will be in the story, though it will be a bit. _

_I'll see everyone in a few weeks! Wish me luck with the college course-load! _

_Love,_

_N.T.N._


	10. Chapter 9

_/A.N./ I'm SO sorry for the unexpectedly long hiatus! College and health and other crazy events hit me out of nowhere. More on future updates at the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas!_

* * *

The moment Saruman stepped into the easterner's camp he could sense a strange magic that sent shivers down his spine. It was pure and even stronger than his own, in a way. Saruman, the greatest wizard in Middle Earth, felt almost like an amateur magician compared to the power he could feel around him.

A short creature that matched Galadriel's description of a faun stepped in front of them and bowed elegantly.

"Esteemed ambassadors, welcome to our camp," he greeted, his sandy curls swaying as he straightened himself. "Allow me to direct you to the king and queen of our fair land of Narnia."

Saruman nodded in acknowledgement and took the lead of his companions. Galadriel followed close behind, smiling softly at the creatures who watched the trio pass with wide eyes.

Hardly able to contain his curiosity and excitement, Radagast nearly tripped over himself turning around in circles trying to greet every animal he passed. His eyes twinkled with joy. Saruman tried to keep his annoyance in check. The short wizard was hardly acting dignified by his standards; and his expectations for Radagast had never been high to begin with.

Finally, the group entered a tent that was clearly designated for royalty. It was no bigger than the other tents, but it was cut from a finer red cloth, and golden tassels hung from the edges. The faun pulled back the tent flap and made a gesture for them to walk through.

"The King and Queen will meet with you," the creature said.

Saruman and Galadriel nodded politely and Radagast muttered his thanks. The first thing they noticed was a creature who stood taller than even the White Wizard. His upper body was that of a black-haired man, but his lower half was that of a horse. He stood to the right of two young adults with crownlets on their heads. They were much younger than any of them had expected.

"Hail friends," the king said, "we are honored to meet you at last."

The two royals bowed and curtseyed. The wizards and elven lady returned the gesture.

"The honor is ours," Saruman replied. "Allow me to introduce myself and my companions, I am Saruman, the White, Head of the White Council and chief Wizard. This is the fair Lady Galadriel of Lorien."

The tall man swept his hand towards Galadriel as he introduced her. She smiled sweetly, and the two Narnians could not help but to smile back.

"And this," Saruman continued as he waved his hand in Radagast's direction, "is Radagast the Brown, a fellow Wizard."

The young king moved forward a half-step and put his hand on his heart. "I am King Edmund the Just and Knight of the Noble Order of the Table. And I present my dear sister," he took the young woman's hand in his as she dipped into a curtsy, "Queen Lucy the Valiant."

King Edmund introduced their chief advisor, a centaur named Runemane, to them. The desire to ask Runemane questions nearly vibrated off of Radagast. No one commented on his excitement. The Narnian monarchs bade them sit so matters could be discussed. The leaders sat on cushions around a low circular table, albeit Runemane who stood behind Lucy and Edmund. A map of Narnia's western borders laid in the middle of the table.

"We have no reliable record of this land's geography," King Edmund began, getting straight to the point. He looked up at the newcomers.

Before anything more could be said, Saruman waved his white staff over the map, whispering undecipherable words under his breath. The western edge of the parchment expanded, and lines traced themselves across the new surface. From Rhun to the far shores, Middle Earth settled itself on the revised map. Edmund and Lucy raised their eyebrows, but they were not shocked by the display of magic. It was evident they had encountered things of that nature many times before.

"There is a Dark Lord who we banished to this region not three weeks ago," Saruman said as he pointed his long finger at Mordor. "Sauron's forces are moving from all directions towards the Lonely Mountain, here."

The king's fingers drummed against the table. Lucy spoke up. "Orcs from your realm have crossed our borders. We have never encountered them until recently. Old enemies of the Kingdom seem to be joining forces with these orcs."

Lady Galadriel scanned the map with a solemn expression draped across her beautiful features. "I had not perceived the orcs to have wandered so far east; with a purpose no less. Sauron is immensely cleaver, but it is strange he seems to know about your lands while we have been oblivious in the meanwhile."

Saruman stroked his whitening beard. _Could the Lion have alerted Sauron to the lands of Narnia? Whose side is that "king" truly on? Could the Narnian's intent be to conquer parts of Middle Earth while it is weak?_

Galadriel's voice penetrated his mind. He saw her glance at him from the corner of her eye.

_I see your thoughts, Saruman; as I see the king and queen's. You have no need to fear, they only have pure intentions. We shall need Narnia's help and powerful magic if we wish to cut off Sauron's supporters while they are vulnerable._

_He was banished, _Saruman retorted. He cursed himself for not shielding his mind from the gifted elleth.

_He will come back once he has regained his strength. You know this._

Saruman let out a short sigh._ We shall see._

"Oh!"

All eyes shot to Radagast, who held a small brown bird in his cupped hands. The small creature chirped at the wizard and bobbed its head, seeming distressed. Radagast's focus stayed solely on the bird, nodding his head and muttering replies like "of course, of course!" and "are you sure?". Suddenly his face became pale. His hands shook slightly, off-balancing the bird and forcing it to retreat on the wizard's shoulder.

"Radagast?" Galadriel probed gently.

He blinked and looked up. "She was sent by Gandalf. Urgent, very urgent. Smaug awoke and desolated Lake Town. You know it? Where the descendants of the city, Dale, reside? That Lake Town. During the attack, a bowman killed the dragon, but not before the town was razed and burnt. And now, oh dear me, and now the homeless people of LakeTown are threatening war on the dwarves who barricaded themselves within Erebor!"

The bird let out a chirp in his ear. He jumped before he started wringing his hands in nervousness. "Oh Yavanna, why now? Thranduil jumped into the conflict and brought his army to back up the LakeTownsmen! Could things get any worse?"

Saruman let out a long sigh, his frustration rising. He rubbed his temples. Meanwhile Galadriel explained the concerning message to the Narnians.

"The three peoples have had a long-standing conflict, I presume?" Edmund asked, arms folded over his chest. "They truly know how to complicate matters."

"Do not get me started," Saruman said, "or I might never stop. I warned Gandalf to not allow that group of dwarves to retake the Mountain, lest they wake the dragon and loose all rationality and foresight."

"Honorable sir," Queen Lucy spoke up, "it does no one any favor to resent the unfortunate circumstances others have wrought upon themselves and their neighbors. We must focus our energies on fulfilling the mission entrusted to us. It is evident that our intervention is needed in all haste."

Galadriel smiled at Lucy, a respectful and affectionate bond already forming between the two. "We best heed the advice of this wise queen. Her insight comes not from mortals but from the divine."

"Aye," Radagast added, "so why do we dottle with diplomatic pleasantries and fluff? We must be up and away! Gandalf and Lord Elrond pleaded for our quick arrival!"

King Edmund placed his hand on his sister's shoulder, looking up at Runemane in a silent exchange. The centaur nodded and made his way out of the tent, having to stoop quite low to exit.

"My men will dismantle the camp and prepare to depart in no longer than three hours," the king said, "we still have daylight to burn, it would be best to make use of it."

~{0}~

"What are you thinking about, Ed?" Lucy asked her brother. His eyes were unseeing as he stared in from of him. Their meeting with the ambassadors of the West had taken place nearly an hour ago. Since then, Narnians were making good time packing up the camp.

"Oh, only of those two wizards and the elf lady," he replied. "The situation keeps growing more complicated. What are your thoughts?"

She tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. "Something that piqued my interest is that the dark lord's forces are heading towards a mountain full of dwarves. I find it such an odd first move on his account."

"Second move," Edmund corrected, "his first was taking ahold of the fortress they had mentioned and using it as a base to begin organizing his next move."

"Right, I forgot about that part." Lucy finished folding a thick blanket into a tight roll and placed it in a large pack. "Anyhow, the mountain seems to be off course if he wished to conquer civilized Middle Earth. It is far too north and east to do him much good."

Edmund drummed his fingers on his thigh as he sat on the grassy ground. "On the contrary, if I understand the layout of this land that is, seizing the Lonely Mountain would be a highly strategic position. It is at the north eastern corner of their lands, and his domain is far south from it. If he controls the Lonely Mountain, he would simply have to sweep his forces west, cutting off contact and supplies as they conquer the inhabitants."

Lucy's hands froze, her mouth forming the shape of an O. "He really is clever isn't he."

Her brother simply nodded. The royal red tent opened, revealing Ellethna and Telaren as they ducked through. The two Marenkai warriors had led a scouting trip to look for a source of water in the area. A badger had suggested to Runemane there was a possibility of an underground spring inside one of the few small caves that sprinkled the surrounding hills. The Marenkai volunteered to scout a few of the caves accompanied with two badgers.

Ellethna bowed her head to the king and queen, although she was already stooping because of her height.

"Foreigners come and held council with thee?" She asked. "Our return be late," she added apologetically.

Lucy leaned over to the tall woman. "Was, not be. Our return _was _late," she whispered.

Ellethna nodded, muttering the correct word a few times under her breath. Quiet as always, Telaren bowed his head to the royals when they made eye contact with him.

"Well," Edmund shrugged, a teasing smile subtly forming, "we thought they might bore you."

The Marenkai woman raised her eyebrow. Lucy yawned as clarification. Ellethna grinned as the meaning clicked.

"Nay, nay," she laughed. She caught Telaren's questioning glance and translated. One corner of his lips quirked upwards as she spoke. He leaned towards her and whispered something. Ellethna snickered.

"Small man has, em," Ellethna struggled to find words, "em, bark dome on his head," she said as she patted her head and tried to make the shape of a large hat out of her hands.

An odd hat made of a rough brown fabric resembling the bark of a tree trunk sprang into Lucy's mind.

"Oh, you mean the brown-cloaked wizard's hat?" Lucy laughed. "That absurd hat was the first thing I had noticed when I saw him. What was his name? Rasputen?"

"Raddish?" Edmund offered.

"No, but I think it is close." Lucy picked apart her memory to find the wizard's name.

"Those fellows are strange indeed," Edmund said as he leaned forward and clasped his hands under his chin. "However, I must know if you found water."

Ellethna sighed and shook her head. "Caves hold nothing, King."

Edmund's hands lowered and fingers automatically began drumming on his thigh. A smaller hand pressed itself over his, and he quickly recognized it as his sister's. She was looking straight ahead at the two warriors who looked somewhat ashamed that they could not deliver a better report.

He watched as a warm smile graced her lips, the one that seemed to be a gift from Aslan Himself, with which she could bring consolation into one's heart. This smile was directed towards Ellethna and Telaren.

"It was worth a try," she said, "although it was never certain water would be discovered."

"Yes," Edmund added, remembering his role as king and commander. "I commend your efforts; and it is unquestionable everyone played their part to the best of their abilities."

Ellethna and Telaren bowed. After a moment's pause, the latter expressed his gratitude that they were not ambushed by a pack of wargs or group of orcs, as translated by his comrade. Edmund allowed a grateful smile, sharing the sentiment.

The comfortable close to their conversation was immediately dissolved by horns blasting outside. An alarm had been raised.

Telaren must of cursed, because Ellethna instantly rebuked him with a flash of annoyance in her eyes. The irony of the alarm's timing was not lost on them. The four sprang to their feet, weapons drawn, and raced out of the tent. The other soldiers outside had done the same. Shouts and orders filled the air as squads organized around their commanding officers.

A certain shouted message stood out from the others.

"We are under attack!"

* * *

_/A.N./ Diplomacy is really hard to make exciting. I hope seeing our beloved characters interacting was at least enough to keep you wanting more._

_Again, I'm SO sorry for the long disappearance! To make up for it, I have multiple one-shots planned, extra scenes from my original draft that don't fit into this version and kill the tension. Follow me and look out for those! From now on I'll have more time to dedicate to writing so this long hiatus shouldn't happen again. _

_Dear Readers, you can help me out! I have lots of awesome character interactions, but exciting plot peaks is something my first version of this story lacked. A warg attack is coming up, but are there any other ideas during this stage where they are traveling? This question is directed especially towards those who have read my first version, I hate to give "spoilers" so I won't specify, but the period between this chapter and when they reach the Iron Hills was quite boring. I don't want that again._

_I really hope to hear from you and thank you so much for sticking with me! I will catch up replying to reviews next update! I hope to see yours in there. :)_

_Merry Christmas and blessings from Aslan,_

_N.T.N._


	11. Chapter 10

_/A.N./ This chapter is written in the point of view of the Marenkai warriors who joined the Narnians as they crossed from the wildlands of Narnia to the eastern edges of Middle Earth. Obviously, I wrote everything in English, but keep in mind they speak their own language. _

* * *

"Zaizan, report!" Telaren shouted the moment he glimpsed the female warrior amid the chaos of a military camp jumping into defense. He had parted from the king and queen upon rushing out of the fabric home they had met within. His peripheral vision caught Ellethna staying by Lucy and Edmund's sides.

"Sir!" Zaizan reached him in five long strides, eyes as sharp as a monkey hawk. "Two wargs and their orc riders attacked a Narnian lookout. Waeco heard the struggle and slayed the scouts, but the rest of the pack is certainly nearby."

"Waeco is unharmed?" Telaren asked, sidestepping to avoid his feet getting trampled by three boars who showed no signs of altering their course.

"Yes sir!"

"And the Narnian scout?" Telaren ushered Zaizan to follow him as they sped through the traffic of strange creatures. The two Marenkai's strides nearly turned into leaps in their haste. Another horn blasted through every other noise, directing Telaren's eyes to an outcropping of boulders within the folds of a small valley just downhill of their location.

Zaizan let out a breath as she stood by his side, her gaze locked onto an unmoving object at the base of the boulders. The bodies of those strange creatures: an orc and a warg laid slain on the same ground they had pounced on an unsuspecting soldier. She finally answered his question. "The Narnian was killed."

Telaren nodded. They were so preoccupied with scanning their surroundings that they were slightly startled by a booming voice nearby.

"Narnians, form ranks! Enemy is advancing from the southwest. Spearhead formation, archers on the right flank. Cavalry be ready for first strike."

Donned with gleaming silver armor, King Edmund conveyed the rank of commander in chief with every fiber of his being. He sat on a brown stallion, Phillip, at the head of his soldiers. To his right his sister Queen Lucy, leaned towards him across the gap between their steeds, whispering inaudibly. A bow beautifully crafted bow was slung over her shoulder, next to a silver quiver with red-feathered arrows.

Telaren narrowed his eyes, attempting to cut through a long distance. At last, he saw a large group riding quickly towards them. Giant wolf-like creatures ridden by those foul orcs that had occasionally terrorized his people back home. Dozens of canine legs bounded over the valley separating the two armed forces.

He shouted his findings over his shoulder towards Ellethna, who had appeared in the corner of his vision. Her hands ran along the length of her spear, but her eyes remained forward. She glanced at him and nodded, brown eyes igniting in the sunlight.

"Enemies are forthcoming in haste! Nay less than twenty!" Ellethna relayed the information in Vernac – English – to the king and queen.

Edmund nodded. "The hawks had reported similarly."

Then he sucked in a deep breath in order to calm his building nerves. After he slowly exhaled, he muttered something to his sister. She reached out and clasped his arm firmly before turning her horse around, the battle lines parting in her wake.

"Archers, to me! May our arrows fly true!" She shouted, trotting to the designated place where lines of bowmen had already formed.

Telaren looked around him and made eye contact with every Marenkai warrior once they all had surrounded him. Ellethna, Zaizan, Zuzen, Waeco, Luzke, Omid, Shiri, and Ekain.

Feet shifted into a readied stance. Muscles tensed. Growls were uttered. Armor clinked together. Cavalry and foot-soldiers were in their positions.

Everyone prepared to charge. The tension was like that of a spring fully wound and aching to spring.

10 seconds until the enemy would be upon them.

9…

8… the king ordered the charge.

7… everybody sprang forward, the calvary instantly striding ahead.

6… the Marenkai ran with the rest of the foot soldiers, patu's and taiaha's held ready.

5… Queen Lucy shouted, dozens of arrows fle across the sky five orcs fell dead.

4… First line of cavalry nearly clashed with the first five orc-warg teams when a burst of light swept the orcs off their rides. Telaren looked over in surprise to see two figures near the archers. The western wizards. He had completely forgotten about their presence.

_Clash! _His attention snapped back to the fight in front of him.

1… They jumped into the fray. Sounds of weapons clashing and creatures growling became all one could hear, until it quickly faded into the background. The only thing that filled Telaren's consciousness was the movement of enemies around him and what his combatatives must be. He swung and thrusted his twin patu's (short, wooden, paddle-shaped clubs) into the un-armored gaps on his enemies. He grit his teeth when his right patu struck a metal plate. His weapons were not designed for armored foes. He finished the groaning orc off with a heavy swing of his patu, clubbing it on the side of its skull. A familiar cry broke through the surrounding noises. The Marenkai's head whipped around, catching sight of a large warg turning onto Ellethna who crouched on the ground gripping a heavily bleeding shoulder. Telaren darted towards her, ducking and weaving through battling opponents.

The warg raised its head above a dazed Ellethna, baring its teeth, ready to kill. Its victim grabbed a fallen sword and held it up between her and the canine beast. Everyone in the chaos around her were too preoccupied with surviving their own battles to notice the young woman about to be eaten by a large warg. She grit her teeth, ready to grapple for her life.

Telaren swung his patu, bashing it against the warg's snout. He thrust the pointed tip of his other patu into the beast's eye, causing it to yelp. One more strike to the head knocked the warg unconscious. Telaren didn't even check if it was dead or not. He spun around and crouched next to Ellethna.

"Can you stand?" He asked.

She blinked multiple times. "Yes."

Supporting her by her elbow Telaren helped Ellethna rise to her feet. His fingertips hovered over her arm as he examined the claw wounds on her shoulder. She smiled reassuringly and stepped half a step back.

"I was dazed before. Its mostly my shoulder that is wounded. I can still fight," she bowed her head, "thank you for your aid."

Telaren nodded. Fortunately, you won't have to fight any longer."

Ellethna looked around and let out a breath of relief when she saw no orcs nor wargs were left alive. The Narnians were scattered across the battlefield, looking for injured comrades.

"Captain, you have a few wounds," she said, gaze snapping back to Telaren. He touched his forehead where blood leaked from a shallow cut. It must look worse than it truly was. His elbow and forearm stung; and when he looked down at them, he saw small cuts and grazed areas.

"Nothing serious," he replied. "Let us get you bandages and find the others."

It did not take long before the group of Marenkai sat conversing around a fire. The sun began to hang low in the sky, so it had been decided they find an optimal location nearby to rest for the night.

"This art of combat is entirely different to the form we all know and trained in," Waeco sighed, fiddling with the bandage on his left knee.

"It is fortunate we were tested in a small battle before we reach our destination," Zaizan replied, sitting cross-legged on the grass.

Luzke grunted in agreement, rubbing his bandaged forearm. He was the most skilled healer out of the group, but he tended to be in an irritable mood when it was he who is injured. His usually well-kept black hair had become messy in the fight, locks slipping out of the ribbon that kept it back.

"However odd it might be, we must adapt our methods and tools of warfare lest we become a liability to our comrades." Telaren said, his expression solemn. He was the only one besides the silent dryad tending to Ellethna's shoulder who stood, his thick arms crossed over his chest as he thought.

"But our weapons and techniques are tied to sacred tradition!" Waeco objected, horrified at the thought of fighting a different way he had been trained. "We cannot just cast them aside because we were caught off guard!"

"Not cast them aside," Telaren replied, "adapt in response to these circumstances. Our ways worked in the forest, but this is nothing like our homeland. I doubt all of us have a large chance of returning unless we change a little."

Waeco said nothing. He continued to fiddle with his bandaged knee anxiously, his black bangs hiding his eyes as he looked downwards.

"In that case, I have a few observations," Omid, the oldest in the group despite being middle-aged, spoke up after a moment's pause. He sat near Luzke while he cleaned his wahaika (a wooden club with a sort of hook-shaped indent on one side) with a piece of cloth. "All of us have avoidable cuts on our arms and shins or knees. Perhaps we should discuss with our Narnian comrades if we might use small plates for protection?"

"Maybe made from leather?" Zaizan added, not liking the idea of cold heavy metal covering her forearms and shins.

"Right, because leather will stop an orc sword from cutting your arm," her brother Zuzen retorted, giving her unscathed elbow a tap.

She frowned. "It shouldn't made up for lack of defense, simply a barrier to prevent more injuries. Like a lizard's scaly hide!"

"When you put it like that it makes sense."

"Our weapons might need a few adaptations too," Ellethna said quietly. The dryad who had attended to her gently patted her uninjured shoulder once she tied the last knot on the bandage. Ellethna gave her thanks in English.

"The language barrier can be frustrating at times," Telaren sighed. They needed to communicate complex information, but Ellethna was the only one among them who knew English – albeit in pieces and in an old form.

Ellethna reached to a satchel laying at her feet. She took out a leather-bound book and a charcoal pencil. "All the new phrases and ways of speech I write in here," she said as she thumbed through the thick handmade pages.

Zaizan leaned over and lightly patted her sister-warrior's arm. "You are playing your part well, don't doubt that."

The women smiled at each other. Before any conversation could continue, a figure stepped into the firelight, fully capturing their attention. Galadriel hardly needed the light of a fire to be seen, a sort of silver aura dimly glowed off her body.

"Milady!" Ellethna greeted as the others bowed their heads.

"Good eve'," she replied, smiling softly.

_I noticed you struggled piercing or finding gaps in the orc armor earlier. I would be delighted to offer my assistance._

The Elven Lady's voice speaking in the Marenkai's native tongue startled them, not to mention the words came not from her lips, but from her mind to theirs.

"How can you speak into our minds?" Telaren asked. The group of warriors looked from one to another, no verbal communication was needed to discover all of them heard the lady's voice. She simply smiled at their surprise and confusion.

_I possess a gift that is not of the nature to be easily explained. In this instance. I can use it to eliminate the language barrier standing between us so we can speak more heart-to-heart._

Ellethna quietly let out a sigh of relief. _I admit it has been troublesome translating all this time._

Zaizan chuckled at Ellethna's remark and leaned over to whisper something to her brother. Luzke, Omid, and Waeco sat silent, and slightly uncomfortable with the fact that they were listening to an unspoken dialogue between elf lady and their two superiors.

_Lady, you have fought in a battle as a warrior? _Telaren asked. Curiosity shone in his eyes, but his posture spoke of caution.

Galadriel smiled. She sat on a patch of grass near the crackling fire, smoothing out her white dress. _In the many thousand years I have lived, there have been just as many battles. There have been a few times I have donned a warrior's mantle, though my roles were not as acclaimed as some of my kin._

Ellethna blinked. _A few thousand years? How could you have achieved such a long life? You look to be my mother's age!_

_I believe I recall a story of a fair people who lived thousands of years. _Waeco commented nonverbally, eyeing the Lady with interest. _We have a small amount of their blood in our veins._

Galadriel hummed aloud before replying. But before she could, her keen ears picked up the call to the center of camp for distribution of supper. The Marenkai heard it too, possessing almost as keen of hearing as she.

_This is a most interesting subject, and certainly one for further discussion. _Galadriel told them as she gracefully stood. _However, we should first attend supper lest they miss us._

Telaren motioned for the Lady to lead the way, then followed her along with his comrades.

* * *

_/A.N./ I now have an update schedule I'm really hoping to follow: Every other week - new chapter of East to West, weeks in between - one shot with either world building or "extra scenes". Follow me so you don't miss those!_

_Sorry if you were a Guest and can't figure out which review was yours. I'm going by the order the Reviews page is._

_Guest 1: Aslan will be in throughout the story, though his presence won't always be obvious like the beginning. But patience, it will come!_

_Guest 2: I haven't thought about Aslan showing himself to Legolas specifically, though he will be showing himself to many at one point. Also, yes the Valar know about Aslan, I'm planning an one-shot about that._

_Guest 3: Ooo I like the idea of Aslan being the one to light the Two Trees, didn't think of that one. I'll make sure to expand on his relationship with the Ainur when he shows up in a big way later on in the story. I'll make sure my one-shot explaining his role in all the Ainulindale and such._

_Guest 4: Like I said before, there is more Aslan to come. Woodland elves and Legolas are coming, don't worry!_

_Guest 5: Sorry for not posting for so long. Hope you read this and didn't give up on me!_

_Diego Ortiz: The two Blue Wizards were always a concept within this AU, but I really wanted to make sure they were featured this time! And you remembered correctly, which is why I wrote this chapter. Hope it's somewhat exciting. _

_Guest 6: I'm glad you liked this chapter. Yes Legolas will be featured in a little bit._

_(Hey guest reviewers, I absolutely love hearing from you! But I feel bad replying and just putting "guest -", would you do me a favor and write some name other than guest? Even something like "Fabulousness" or "Reader". Thank you and hope to hear from you!)_

_Love,_

_N.T.N._


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